The Houston Astros have confirmed that manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown will return for the 2026 season, but the confirmation wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement. It was merely pointing out that both Espada and Brown are under contract next season, and the team wouldn't be making any changes this offseason.
Even with the confirmation, the impression remains that Espada and Brown will enter the 2026 season on the hot seat. The Astros waited nearly a week to confirm the statuses of the top members of their baseball organization, and the silence was deafening.