Report: Mariners meeting with Astros’ Espada about manager job

The Seattle Mariners are meeting with Joe Espada about their open managerial position, according to a report from MLB.com.

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Espada, 51, has spent the past nine years with the American League West rival Houston Astros, including the last three as the club’s manager. His contract with the club is set to expire at the end of this month, per MLB.com.

MLB.com also reported that Houston has yet to make a decision on Espada’s future, but the club did grant him permission to speak to the Mariners.

The Astros parted ways with general manager Dana Brown in August, and it has been widely believed that the franchise will look to replace Espada once it hires a new general manager.

Seattle is in search of a replacement for Dan Wilson, who the club parted ways with following a disappointing 76-86 season. The Mariners had a 187-171 record in two-plus seasons under Wilson, including winning the AL West and reaching the AL Championship Series in 2025.

Espada would seem to fit the parameters of what president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said the club was looking for in its next manager. In an end-of-season interview with media Sept. 28, Dipoto said the club was looking for “fresh thought” and would go outside to hire its manager. He also noted that previous managerial experience would be preferred, though not a requirement.

“We need something new,” Dipoto said. “It could be a shift in programming. It could be a shift in messaging. It could be a shift in language. We’ll collaborate with whoever our future manager is and try to find the right person.”

The Astros won the American League West this season with an 81-81 record under Espada, becoming the first-ever team to win a division with .500 record, before being swept by the Chicago White Sox in the AL Wild Card Series.

Houston has gone 256-229 with Espada at the helm, which includes two playoff berths and two AL West titles.

Prior to becoming manager, he served as the bench coach to Dusty Baker from 2018-23, which included winning the World Series in 2022.

Espada began his coaching career in the Miami Marlins’ organization starting 2006, serving as a minor league hitting coach and infield coordinator. In 2010, he became Miami’s third base coach, a position he held through the 2013 season.

The Santurce, Puerto Rico, native then joined the New York Yankees in 2014 as a special assistant to general manger Brian Cashman and later served as the club’s infield coach and third base coach from 2015-17.

Espada also served as the third base coach for Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2023 during the World Baseball Classic.

As a player, Espada spent nine seasons in the minor leagues from 1996-2004, but he never made it past Triple-A.

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