Jim Crane Discusses Astros Front Office Direction

The Astros parted ways with general manager Dana Brown on Monday, leaving the franchise without a permanent head of baseball operations during a tight division race. Owner Jim Crane stepped in to run the front office alongside senior advisor Jeff Bagwell and the club’s three assistant general managers: Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey, and Connor Huff. While the organization framed the departure as mutual, Crane acknowledged he made the call because the team was not where (they) wanted to be in the final year of Brown’s contract.

Jim Crane Discusses the Departure at Yankee Stadium

Speaking to reporters at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Astros owner Jim Crane admitted that the conversation with Brown was difficult. It was a tough conversation, Crane said, transcribed by Chandler Rome of The Athletic. They’re never easy, and, you know, I think he was disappointed, but he was very professional, and he handled it accordingly.

“Out of respect for Dana, we thought that was a time that would give him a little space and to regroup, and he’s a great talent. He’s been in the business a long time, and [this will] give him a little more time to get settled and get back to work somewhere else.”

Jim Crane, Astros Owner

Brown took the job on January 26, 2023, succeeding James Click after the club’s 2022 World Series title. Crane noted that pitching staff injuries significantly hampered this season, pointing out that several preseason pitching acquisitions failed to pan out, including the signing of Japanese starter Tatsuya Imai and a trade for pitcher Mike Burrows. The team also failed to land pitching help at the Trade Deadline. Crane said the Astros going 3-6 on a homestand against the Mariners, Angels and A’s last week in Houston didn’t factor into the decision to part ways with Brown.

Transition Plan and Manager Joe Espada’s Status

During the transition, Cook and Huff joined the team in New York, while Dickey and Bagwell assist from the executive side. Crane emphasized that Bagwell remains in the senior advisor role he has held since April 2023, declining to comment on whether the Hall of Famer is a candidate for the permanent general manager job. We don’t have any candidates at this point (and) haven’t even started looking, Crane told reporters. Bagwell doesn’t have any experience running a baseball operations department, though Crane suggested he was open to that path again, saying experience is valuable but not necessary.

Manager Joe Espada’s status remains tied to the end of the season, matching the timeline for his entire coaching staff. Crane met with Espada in his office at Yankee Stadium prior to Tuesday’s game, a meeting Espada said was positive. Espada also addressed the players and thanked them for their support while he goes through a personal matter that caused him to miss Sunday’s game. Crane expressed support for the manager amidst a difficult roster crunch. I think Joe [Espada] is doing what he could do with what he’s got, you know? Crane said. So you get three or four starters down, you got to really scramble. So he’s a good manager. He keeps an eye on things, and I just talked to him, and he’s ready to win a game today.

AL West Division Race and the Search Timeline

The front office shakeup coincides with a congested American League West race. Following a recent victory over the Yankees, the Astros pulled back to .500 and into a tie with the Texas Rangers for first place, as the team battles through a 65-66 overall record. Every club in the division has experienced a difficult year, leaving the playoff door open for Houston, Texas, or Seattle, with an outside chance one overtakes the AL Central winner to secure a first-round bye.

Crane indicated that the franchise will not rush to hire a new general manager while games are active. He noted that they’re unlikely to seriously begin the hiring process until the end of the season, as they’d otherwise be unable to contact many external candidates. Past hires under Crane—including Jeff Luhnow, Click, and Brown—were all first-time general managers. Potential external targets mentioned by industry analysts Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Robert Murray of FanSided include executives from small-market front offices like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay—such as Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine—alongside former candidates and advisors such as Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus, Guardians assistant general manager James Harris, former Giants senior advisor to the president of baseball operations Bobby Evans, and former GMs Matt Klentak and Billy Eppler.