Astros Still Have No Manager: the Search Randy Flores Called 'Immediate' Is Open More Than a Week Later, With the GM Meetings Running and December 1 Ahead
Flores took the job on November 2 saying the hire needed to be finalized right away. Pujols has reportedly interviewed and Ausmus is a possibility - but Houston's dugout is still empty while the offseason's real decisions start in Las Vegas.
When Randy Flores was introduced as the Houston Astros' new general manager, he made his first priority loud and clear: find a manager, preferably soon. More than a week has passed since Flores took the position, and the Astros still have not announced one, according to the Houston Astros on SI report read by this desk. Flores was direct at his November 2 introductory news conference when asked about the timeline, via MLB.com: “Immediate. We need to get started on that and finalize that.”
Houston has been without a manager since announcing that Joe Espada would not return following three seasons. The Astros finished 81-81 in 2026, winning the American League West despite their .500 record before a Wild Card Series exit against the Chicago White Sox - a season that left the roster, in the report's assessment, no longer resembling the championship powerhouse of a few years ago, and left the next manager a complicated job rather than a victory lap.
The reported candidate list is short and distinct. Albert Pujols has reportedly interviewed for the position, bringing an extensive playing career and a previous relationship with Flores from their time in St. Louis. Brad Ausmus has emerged as another possibility, having served as the New York Yankees' bench coach following his previous managerial experience. A former Houston infielder has also been mentioned among the candidates. None of that is a hire, and this desk reports the names as the report states them - reported and possible, not agreed.
The calendar is the pressure. Flores is attending the general managers' meetings in Las Vegas this week, where the Astros' offseason plans begin taking shape - including the additional pitching depth the club needs after a season disrupted by injuries - and Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, leaving Houston less than a month before a possible lockout could restrict communication with players. A new manager's first weeks are relationship time before spring training, and every week the search runs is a week of it spent. The report's own balance is the honest one: Flores should not rush an ill-advised hire to satisfy an arbitrary deadline - and Houston does not have the luxury of taking forever.
