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11/11 11:43 CST Astros bring back former catcher Brad Ausmus as their manager after Joe Espada exit Astros bring back former catcher Brad Ausmus as their manager after Joe Espada exit By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) --- Brad Ausmus was named manager of the Houston Astros on Wednesday. New general manager Randy Flores made the announcement, which brings the former catcher back to the place where he spent 10 years of his playing career. "We are thrilled to welcome Brad back to the Astros organization," Flores said in a news release. "Brad impressed us throughout the interview process, demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a winning culture both on and off the field. I am excited to work alongside Brad and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform." Ausmus said he is excited to return to Houston. "The Astros and the city of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I'm thrilled to create a new chapter as the team's manager," he said. "I'd like to thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I can't wait to get to work." He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract wasn't renewed after the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card series. Ausmus is the 21st manager in franchise history. Former St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, former Astros player Morgan Ensberg and Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta were among other candidates Houston considered before landing on Ausmus. His hiring leaves the Angels as the only team without a manager after they fired Kurt Suzuki following just one season. The Mariners hired Jason Kanzler last week to fill the role from which Dan Wilson stepped down at season's end. This is the third different managerial job for Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 and spent 2014-17 leading the Tigers. He most recently worked as the bench coach for the Yankees from 2024 through last season. The 57-year-old Ausmus went 72-90 in his one season with the Angels and was 314-332 in four seasons in Detroit. His best season came in his first with the Tigers when they went 90-72 to win the AL Central before being swept by the Orioles in the AL Division Series. He has also worked in MLB front offices, spending 2011-13 as a special assistant to baseball operations for the Padres and 2018 as a special assistant to the GM for the Angels. Ausmus spent 18 years as a major league catcher. He played for the Astros from 1997-98 and 2001-08. He won three Gold Gloves while with the Astros and was named to the All-Star team in 1999 with the Tigers. He also played for the Padres and the Dodgers before retiring after the 2010 season. He played 1,971 MLB games, including 1,259 with the Astros, the most by a catcher in franchise history. Ausmus played in 35 career postseasons games, all of them with the Astros. He was the team's catcher when the Astros reached the World Series in 2005 for the first time. He had a big home run earlier in that playoff run when his shot tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves that the Astros went on to win 7-6 in 18 innings. He was a 48th round pick of the Yankees in 1987. He attended Dartmouth while playing in the minors for the Yankees, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in government. ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here

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