Joe Espada Articles - Page 2

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 […]

Houston Astros infielder Jose Altuve has been a vital presence for the club for several years. That continued on Friday, as he smacked a seventh-inning, game-tying two-run shot against the Boston Red Sox that turned the tide in an 8-4 victory. Astros manager Joe Espada sounded off about Altuve’s greatness, via MLB.com’s Molly Burkhardt. “There’s […]

It has been two months since Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker hit a foul ball off his right shin resulting in missing every game up until that point making stints on multiple injured lists. Fast forward to the present and there is not a clear timetable for the return of the Astros outfielder as manager […]

The Houston Astros’ need for more offense can only be solved through the MLB Trade Deadline. Joe Espada is in danger of getting usurped by the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. He should also be thankful that their division rivals have only won two out of their last 10. With how the statuses of […]

It is not the first time that an insanely talented MLB Draft selection also happens to be a football player. In fact, this instance has happened almost every decade since the inception of both leagues. But, Oregon baseball star Bryce Boettcher might be embarking on a different journey compared to Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, and […]

Joe Espada and the Houston Astros are starting to look better again. While they are still trailing the Miami Marlins in the AL West, the squad has picked up the pace by winning five out of their last 10 games. After winning two straight clashes over the Chicago White Sox, they have the momentum before […]

For the second time in the 2024 MLB season, Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco posted a hitless start. The 30-year-old Blanco could have also recorded his second no-hitter this season alone had he been allowed by Houston manager Joe Espada to continue painting his pitching masterpiece during Sunday’s 4-1 win against the Detroit Tigers at […]

Riley Greene homered in each of the first two innings as the Detroit Tigers raced to a huge lead and crushed the Detroit Tigers 13-5 on Saturday. Detroit jumped on starter Spencer Arrighetti for five hits and seven runs in just 1 1/3 innings pitched. The 24-year-old got the start after Justin Verlander was scratched […]

The Houston Astros are well below .500 and need to start finding answers for their mid-season woes. Both the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers are ranked above them in the AL West. All of this means that Joe Espada has to step up and shake up the roster so that they are able to catch […]

Hunter Brown was once thought to be a big part of the Houston Astros’ future as a potential front-line starting pitcher, but he has not lived up to expectations so far in the major leagues, but his recent starts indicate he could be on an upward trajectory after utilizing a sinker. “That’s the Hunter that […]

The Houston Astros are currently on a five-game winning streak after starting the season off to a slow start. It’s been a nice turnaround for this franchise lately. As it turns out, manager Joe Espada reveals what he told the team that fueled the recent spark. Espada reveals he gave his team a message in […]

When the Houston Astros signed Jose Abreu to a three-year, $58.5 million contract in November 2022, they were expecting him to bring some big-time pop to their lineup. Needless to say, that has not happened. After a miserable debut campaign in 2023, Abreu has been even worse in 2024. The veteran has been so bad, […]

The Houston Astros have massively underperformed in Joe Espada’s first year as manager. Behind the scene, some Astros are beginning to believe his tenure shouldn’t continue beyond the 2024 season. Two ‘prominent’ members of Houston’s club have ‘quietly expressed’ complaints over Espada’s communication skills, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. There’s no word on if […]

The 2024 MLB regular season of the Houston Astros is not going as fine as most people expected it to be, thus far. After losing to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, 5-4, Houston has sunk to 10 games below .500 with the team now carrying just a 12-22 record — tied with the Los Angeles […]