the Houston Astros saw their postseason run come to an end against the Texas Rangers in Game 7 of the ALCS. It was a crushing way to end the year, and manager Dusty Baker announced his retirement from baseball after the series came to an end. So, where the Astros go for the next manager remains to be seen, although some candidates have popped up in recent days.

The latest odds for the next Astros manager have Joe Espada in front with Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell and former New York Mets manager Buck Showalter right behind, per BetOnline.

  • Joe Espada +200
  • Buck Showalter +500
  • Craig Counsell +700
  • AJ Hinch +800
  • Walt Weiss +900
  • Don Mattingly +1000
  • Will Venable +1100

Espada is a viable replacement for Baker. He began his MLB coaching career with the Miami (then Florida) Marlins from 2010-2013 and was with the New York Yankees from 2015-2017 before joining the Astros in 2018. He serves as the bench coach and has been a candidate prior for different MLB jobs, including the Chicago Cubs opening a few years back.

Showalter was let go as the Mets manager after a massive disappointment in 2023, and Counsell is still the Brewers manager despite plenty of rumors surfacing about his whereabouts and him being granted permission to interview for the Mets opening.

The Astros are a desirable opening for candidates. They finished the year with a 90-72 record and had a 3-2 lead over the Rangers before losing the final two games at home to lose the series and miss out on the World Series. It should be a quick turnaround as they try to hire a manager to replace the great Dusty Baker.