Jim Crane on Dana Brown Dismissal: Astros Needed Change; Espada Decision Comes Later
Astros owner Jim Crane addressed parting ways with GM Dana Brown and said a decision on manager Joe Espada's future will wait until after the season.
Jim Crane addressed the Houston Astros' decision to part ways with GM Dana Brown, telling reporters the organization needed a change at the top — and that the question of Joe Espada's managerial future will be answered once the 2026 season concludes, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Crane has taken over oversight of baseball operations in the interim, with front-office duties distributed among the assistant GMs and senior advisor Jeff Bagwell. A formal search for a new general manager, per earlier reporting, is not expected to begin until after the season ends.
What Crane said about Espada
Espada's status for the remainder of 2026 is not in question — Crane indicated the manager will stay in the dugout through the end of the year. What happens beyond that remains unresolved and, by Crane's own framing, deliberately so. The evaluation will come when the season is over.
What remains unconfirmed
No timetable for the GM search has been specified beyond the offseason window. The criteria Crane is using to evaluate Espada, and whether any internal candidates are being considered for the GM role, have not been detailed in the available material.
More on the Astros wire.
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