As the Houston Astros turn the page to 2026, there’s a quiet subplot brewing behind the scenes that could shape the franchise’s future: both manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown are entering the final years of their contracts. That’s not unheard of in Major League Baseball, but it’s certainly not the norm-especially for a team with Houston’s pedigree.
This will be Espada’s third season at the helm and Brown’s fourth overseeing baseball operations. Yet, despite the looming contract expirations, owner Jim Crane doesn’t appear to be in any rush to lock either one down with an extension. Speaking Monday morning, Crane made it clear that there have been no formal talks about new deals for either man-and, for now, that’s by design.
“I think we’ll go through this year like we always do, evaluate it and then make the decision at the end of the year,” Crane said. “We won’t probably do any extensions now.
But I’m not saying that’s impossible. We haven’t talked about it yet.
We’ve been focused on getting what we need to compete this next year.”
That approach might raise eyebrows in some front offices, but it’s not out of character for Crane. He’s shown a willingness in the past to let contracts play out, even in high-stakes roles.
Dusty Baker, for example, operated on a string of one-year deals before retiring after the 2023 season. Former GM James Click also worked through the end of his contract in 2022, though that situation was complicated by reported tension between Click and Crane-despite the fact that Houston won the World Series that year.
In contrast, there’s no indication of any friction between Crane and the current leadership team. This seems more like a philosophical stance than a referendum on performance.
Still, the timing is worth noting. The Astros are coming off a season that, by their recent standards, felt like a step back.
They missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years, finishing with an 87-75 record. That’s only one win shy of their 2022 total, which was enough to win the AL West-but in 2025, it didn’t cut it.
Houston actually led the division at the All-Star break, but a sluggish second half-where they hovered just below .500-opened the door for the Mariners to overtake them. Then came the Guardians, who caught fire in September and surged into the postseason, effectively bumping the Astros out of the playoff picture.
It was a reminder that in today’s MLB, even a talented, veteran-laden team like Houston can’t afford to coast. The margins are razor-thin, and the window to contend never stays open forever.
That puts some quiet pressure on Espada and Brown heading into 2026. While there’s no public indication that their jobs are on the line, working on expiring deals naturally adds a layer of urgency.
For Espada, it’s a chance to prove he can guide this core group back to October. For Brown, it’s about reinforcing a roster that’s still built to win-but may need a few tweaks to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive AL West.
Crane’s wait-and-see approach means the results will speak loudest. If the Astros bounce back and reassert themselves as a playoff team, extensions could follow in short order. But if the slide continues, Houston could be facing more than just an offseason of roster decisions-it could be a crossroads moment for the leadership of one of baseball’s most successful franchises of the last decade.
