Joe Espada Articles - Page 2

The Houston Astros are at the top of the American League West heading into Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Joe Espada’s team has been neck-to-neck with the Seattle Mariners all season. Despite their success, Houston’s roster is not the same as it was during their dynastic run from 2017 to 2023. Some of the […]

The Houston Astros have rebounded from a slow start to the 2025 season and now lead the American League West. Joe Espada’s team is neck-and-neck with the Seattle Mariners for the top spot, despite Houston’s injuries throughout the season. Getting Christian Javier back from his elbow surgery would be a big boost. However, his latest […]

The Houston Astros received some unpleasant injury news Saturday. The club believed that DH Yordan Alvarez was nearing a return from the IL. However, a new update revealed a more significant issue. Alvarez has a small fracture in his hand, which will complicate the slugger’s return to the lineup. The Astros also announced that outfielder […]

Yordan Alvarez was reportedly trending in the right direction in terms of returning for the Houston Astros, but it’s going to be a little bit longer than anticipated. The team announced on Saturday that Alvarez has a small fracture in his right hand that is 60% healed. That puts a damper on his previous plan […]

Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez posted a tremendous performance on Friday, throwing a complete game for his club. Houston defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-1, behind the hurler’s dominating outing. Following the game, Astros manager Joe Espada pointed to a specific moment as a turning point for his hurler. “Once he gave up that homer, […]

Ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, the Houston Astros are 30-26. Joe Espada has navigated injuries and inconsistency throughout the first two months of the season. Jose Altuve started the season playing in the outfield next to Chas McCormick in a effort to create the best lineup possible. While […]

The Houston Astros received positive news on the injury front, as both Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker are trending in the right direction. The Alvarez injury update and encouraging signs from Walker come at a crucial time in the season, with Houston aiming to climb back to the top of the AL West standings. During […]

Houston Astros Lance McCullers Jr. spent two seasons recovering from flexor tendon surgery. Astros manager Joe Espada got McCullers back in his rotation on May 4. Despite receiving death threats after his first starts back, McCullers Jr. has settled in well. He is no longer the ace, pitching behind Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez in […]

The Houston Astros improved their 2025 outlook by taking three of four games in a big series against the Seattle Mariners. The Astros are now just 1.5 games behind Seattle for the AL West lead. Still, Houston faces a number of concerns as injuries to the pitching staff mount and the team is still missing […]

The Houston Astros are nearing the end one of the most dominant stretches Major League Baseball history. Since 2017, the Astros made the playoffs in every season and got to at least the American League Championship Series in seven of them. Houston has two World Series titles to show for it, too, winning championships in […]

The Houston Astros’ season continues to unravel, as yet another key pitcher lands on the injured list. Right-hander Ronel Blanco, a vital piece of the team’s pitching staff, has been placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation—further compounding an already dire rotation crisis. With a 25–24 record, the club trails the AL West-leading Seattle […]

The Houston Astros continue to miss their All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained muscle in his right hand in early May. Initial comments made by the team expressed confidence that the seventh-year veteran would only miss the minimum number of games with the ailment. But nearly […]

The Houston Astros made the playoffs last season, but the team is not the same as it used to be. In 2025, Jose Altuve has played in the outfield to make up for their losses. Joe Espada’s team sits in the middle of the American League West division. However, a reunion with former third baseman […]

The Houston Police Department is investigating death threats made to Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family, a spokesperson has confirmed to the Houston Chronicle. McCullers, who hadn’t pitched in the Majors since 2022 before his season debut on May 4, struggled mightily against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, giving up seven runs on […]

Jose Altuve has been one of the cornerstones of the Houston Astros’ golden era, but in 2025, the 35-year-old veteran is facing a reality check — not at the plate, but in the field. After nearly 1,750 starts at second base, Altuve was moved to left field this season in an effort to maximize the […]

As Houston Astros star Yordan Alvarez is on the injured list due to a strained muscle in the top of his right hand, the concern now from fans is how severe the issue is for his availability. With the Astros looking to always improve, Alvarez is a key piece to the team for prolonged success, […]

The Houston Astros are getting back a franchise favorite to their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr. is making his triumphant return to the major leagues after missing the last two seasons with a flexor tendon injury. His comeback helps to steady a rotation after Opening Day starter Framber Valdez’s recent struggles. Joe Espada and the team […]

The Houston Astros had a good game against the Chicago White Sox. However, Joe Espada got a historic performance from Jake Meyers. The 28-year-old outfielder tied Yordan Alvarez’s franchise record as part of a great day at the plate with the Astros’ slugger not playing in the game. Meyers is usually be at the bottom […]

Houston Astros infielder turned outfielder Jose Altuve knows how to transition for the team’s good. However, his abilities at persuasion mirror those on the field.  On Monday, Altuve requested that Astros manager Joe Espada have shortstop Jeremy Pena hit leadoff in their game against the Detroit Tigers, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. It is […]

The Houston Rockets signed Josh Hader in 2024. Since then, the closer’s five-year, $95 million deal has paid off for Houston and manager Joe Espada. The pitcher who dominated with the Brewers and Padres is only getting better. One simple shift he made this offseason is behind one of his best starts to a season […]

Houston Astros reliever Forrest Whitley had a late start to the year, but he is paying homage to an all-time great by changing his jersey number. Whitley wants to honor back-to-back Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum by wearing his number on his back, per Chandler Rome. Lincecum won the award back-to-back with the San Francisco […]

Jose Altuve has accomplished just about everything a player can in an Astros uniform. But Thursday’s Opening Day game at Daikin Park brought something entirely new — and something unexpectedly emotional. As Altuve jogged out to left field for the first time in his 15-year MLB career, the 42,305 fans in attendance roared. When the […]

The Houston Astros are breaking spring training with a lot of new faces. Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Ryan Pressly aren’t around anymore. But the Tucker trade landed them a few pieces that could push them back into the playoffs including pitcher Hayden Wesneski. Astros manager Joe Espada has the latest on Wesneski’s injury that […]

Lance McCullers Jr. reached a remarkable milestone in his quest to return to a Major League mound. In a moment 868 days in the making, McCullers threw a pitch for the Houston Astros. It was his first game action since the 2022 World Series. And his former teammates showed their support by reaching out before […]

Someone was a part of the Houston Astros trading Kyle Tucker. His name? Chas McCormick. He’s been one of the more highly coveted prospects that the Astros received from the Chicago Cubs. However, his spring training hasn’t gone the way McCormick or anyone else would’ve hoped for. He is 4-for-24 in Grapefruit League games. Regardless […]

The Houston Astros seemed close to getting third baseman Nolan Arenado in a trade from the Cardinals in December, but he reportedly nixed the trade. Months later, Joe Espada was asked if he ever talked to Arenado prior to him nixing the trade. “I never talked to him,” Espada said via Foul Territory TV. “Our […]

Houston Astros fans are used to seeing Jose Altuve playing at second base, but the plan is for him to play most of his games in left field this season, as confirmed by his manager, Joe Espada. “Right now the plan is for him to play the majority of his games in left field,” Joe […]

As the Houston Astros are in the midst of spring training in preparation for the season around the corner, the team looks different compared to last year with the inclusions of new players and the subtraction of familiar faces. One of the Astros newcomers is Christian Walker as he spoke about the move to the […]

As Houston Astros star Jose Altuve is no longer with Alex Bregman due to the third baseman signing with the Boston Red Sox, the second baseman is still pushing for more time in left field. With the Astros looking to round out the roster before the season starts, Altuve is looking to provide as much […]

It turns out the door might not really be closed on an Alex Bregman reunion with the Houston Astros. Will Kunkel of Fox 26 Houston caught up with manager Joe Espada and asked him about the third baseman who has spent his entire nine-year career with the Astros. Astros Manager Joe Espada on Alex Bregman: “Our […]

Houston Astros star Alex Bregman is set to enter free agency following the team’s postseason defeat. Jose Altuve has made it clear that he wants the Astros to re-sign the infielder. Astros manager Joe Espada echoed a similar sentiment on Thursday. “I’ve talked a lot about how much I love the individual, the human,” Espada […]

On Wednesday, the Houston Astros became the first team eliminated from the postseason, allowing four runs in the eighth inning to turn a 2-1 lead into a 5-2 loss against the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card series. This loss marks the team’s seventh consecutive home playoff defeat and the first […]

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve was ejected from Tuesday night’s game against the San Diego Padres in a bizarre manner. The Astros ultimately earned a 4-3 victory in extra innings, but Altuve was ejected in the 9th inning after removing both his cleat and sock to show the umpire that what ended up being a […]

The Houston Astros, as things stand (despite their 12-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night), are well on their way to another AL West division crown, which would be their fourth consecutive and their seventh over the past eight seasons. But all season long, the Astros’ starting rotation has had to deal with […]

With fans expecting Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker making a return in September as said by general manger Dana Brown, there still is not an official return date. However, Astros manager Joe Espada spoke about an encouraging update regarding Tucker’s injury which is a shin contusion that he suffered in early June fouling a ball […]

Two members of the Houston Astros are defending a decision the team made that resulted in disaster. Manager Joe Espada and infielder Jose Altuve think a pitch that led to a grand slam for the Baltimore Orioles Friday was the right call. Houston’s Bryan Abreu delivered a fastball that was just above the strike zone […]

It was an exciting time when Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander got his return date as he finally made it Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox, though it ended in a loss, 4-1. He would speak after the game in his first start since June 9 where he was suffering from stiffness in his neck, […]

Houston Astros fans have been waiting to see the return of star Kyle Tucker as he has missed the majority of the summer with a shin contusion, caused by hitting a foul ball off the injured area in early June. While there has not been a set time table for his return, there was finally […]

Injuries are accumulating for the Houston Astros, with a key member of the pitching staff set to be out indefinitely. RHP Ryan Pressly is the latest to hit the 15-day injured list because of a lower back injury. It’s unclear how the injury occurred. However, manager Joe Espada sounded relatively optimistic when speaking of Pressly […]