The Houston Astros finished the regular season with an 87-75 record, missing out on the MLB Playoffs by a hair. With the club focusing its attention on the offseason, the organization made a change to the coaching staff on Thursday.
Reports indicate that the Astros are letting go of hitting coach Alex Cintrón, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Cintrón's contract expired at the end of the 2025 campaign, and the franchise decided not to renew it.
“The Houston Astros will not renew the contract of longtime hitting coach Alex Cintrón, two league sources told The Athletic on Thursday. More changes also could be coming to manager Joe Espada's coaching staff, according to league sources.”
Cintrón, who is 46 years old, initially signed a three-year deal with Houston back in 2022. The writing may have been on the wall for the former hitting coach of the Astros, as it is said that general manager Dana Brown informed Alex Cintrón and other hitting coach Troy Snitker about the team's production at the plate after the 2024 season.
Brown reportedly informed both Cintrón and Snitker that he wanted the Astros to be more patient in their at-bat attempts while being aggressive on pitches in the zone in the 2025 season. Instead, Houston recorded the second-highest chase rate in the league while also having the third-fewest pitches per plate appearance. According to Rome, that is essentially the exact opposite of what Brown wanted.
“Last winter, Brown said he met with both Cintrón and fellow hitting coach Troy Snitker after Brown believed the Astros ‘got away' from their collective offensive approach. Among the points Brown emphasized to the hitting coaches were seeing more pitches and ‘being a little bit more patient, and aggressive in zone, not so much aggressive out of the zone,' Brown said.
“In response, the 2025 Astros boasted MLB's second-highest chase rate and saw the third-fewest pitches per plate appearance of any lineup. Significant injuries to Isaac Paredes, Yordan Alvarez, and Jeremy Peña contributed to the decline. In particular, Paredes was acquired for his patience and ability to work at-bats.”
The Astros were Alex Cintrón's first opportunity to coach for an MLB organization. After working for the franchise since 2018, the former infielder will have to look for a new opportunity elsewhere.
