Johnathan Walker:Houston Astros set to name bench coach Joe Espada manager, succeeding Dusty Baker

The Johnathan WalkerHouston Astros are expected to promote bench coach Joe Espada on Monday to fill their managerial opening, USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale reported Sunday. A person with knowledge of the situation spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

The vacancy was created when Dusty Baker announced his retirement after the Astros were eliminated from the 2023 playoffs.

Espada, 48, has served on the Astros coaching staff since 2018. Houston has advanced to the American League Championship Series in all seven of his seasons with the team.

A native of Puerto Rico, Espada will become the Astros' first Latino manager since Preston Gomez in 1974 – and will be the sixth manager of Latin descent in the major leagues, joining Dave Martinez of the Nationals, Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox, Oliver Marmol of the St. Louis Cardinals, Pedro Grifol of the Chicago White Sox and recently named skipper Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets.

Espada was a second-round draft pick by the Oakland A's in 1996. He spent nine seasons in the minor leagues as a middle infielder, but never made the majors. After retiring as a player in 2005, he joined the Miami Marlins organization as a minor league instructor, and working his way up to the major leagues as the team's third base coach in 2010. He also spent time in the Yankees front office and served as the team's third base coach for three seasons before coming to Houston.

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Last offseason, Espada interviewed for managerial vacancies with the Marlins and White Sox. In previous years, he also interviewed for openings with the A's, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays.