While it appears as though Joe Espada and Dana Brown's jobs with the Houston Astros are safe for the moment, it is extremely clear that both men don't have much of a leash left. Owner Jim Crane has high expectations for the Astros every single season, and if 2026 doesn't go well, it is hard to see a world where both Espada and Brown survive. Oddly enough, a former Astros mainstay could be trying to position himself as a leading candidate if Espada ends up on the chopping block.
Martin Maldonado brought a lot to the Astros' clubhouse even as his skills left him in the later years.