Houston Astros to hire Brad Ausmus as manager, per reports

It's not exactly an in-house hire, but the Houston Astros opted for familiarity in settling on Brad Ausmus as their next manager, according to multiple reports.

Ausmus, 57, will take his third crack at managing a major league team, having led the Detroit Tigers from 2014 through 2017 and managing the Los Angeles Angels for the 2019 season. He's spent the past three seasons as the New York Yankees' bench coach.

He was a catcher for the Astros from 2001 through 2008, growing into a core player for a franchise that reached the World Series in 2005. Hall of Fame first baseman Jeff Bagwell remains a trusted advisor to owner Jim Crane, who recently hired former Cardinals executive Randy Flores as the club's new general manager.

Ausmus will replace Joe Espada, who managed the club for three seasons and led them to the AL West title this season, though the club had a .500 record. Espada led the Astros to the playoffs in two of his three seasons and was the bench coach under World Series-winning manager Dusty Baker before that. Crane opted not to extend his contract.

Ausmus was an All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner as a player and posted a 386-422 record managing the Tigers and Angels. In his first year managing, Ausmus inherited a club that reached the 2013 ALCS under retiring manager Jim Leyland but got bounced in the 2014 ALDS. His final three Tigers clubs did not reach the playoffs.

ESPN 97.5 in Houston was the first to report the Astros were settling on Ausmus as their manager.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston Astros to hire Brad Ausmus as manager, per reports

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/houston-astros-hire-brad-ausmus-161522533.html