The Houston Astros and manager Dusty Baker seemingly had an amicable ending as the veteran manager announced he would be leaving after the 2023 season. But there was reportedly some disconnect between Baker, the front office and general manager Dana Brown, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

“There was also a little bit of a disconnect with Dusty and the front office, I think that led to some things going on on the field as well as the Astros would have hoped, and I think new GM Dana Brown and Joe [Espada] are very much aligned,” McTaggart said on Foul Territory. “Dana Brown wanted somebody that's a communicator. He used the word ‘collaborative' a lot. I don't think that was always the case with Dusty Baker.”

The Astros had another strong season in 2023, reaching the ALCS once again and falling just short of the World Series after losing in seven games to the Texas Rangers. However, there were a couple of common themes that Baker was criticized for throughout the 2023 season.

One example was not playing Chas McCormick as much, even though he was clearly the team's best option in center field when looking at the statistics. The other is the lineup construction and putting players like Jeremy Pena in the no. 2 spot, which is typically reserved for a team's best hitter nowadays.

With Joe Espada taking over, it will be interesting to see how the Astros operate each day. Hopefully Joe Espada has a good relationship with Dana Brown next season.