NEW YORK — The Yankees are facing another unsettled offseason, and the uncertainty now stretches beyond their roster. Changes to baseball operations have placed fresh attention on the people who work closest to manager Aaron Boone.
Brad Ausmus, the Yankees’ bench coach for the past three seasons, visited the Houston Astros’ offices at Daikin Park on Thursday, Oct. 29. The visit was connected to Houston’s general manager search, according to reporting published Sunday, Nov. 1. Houston subsequently hired Randy Flores as general manager.
That decision did not necessarily end Ausmus’ chances of returning to the Astros. He remains a possible candidate for Houston’s vacant managerial position as the franchise seeks a replacement for Joe Espada. The new report identifies a managerial possibility, not an appointment or a confirmed interview for that specific job.
Houston did not renew Espada’s contract after the 2026 season. Flores, previously an assistant general manager with St. Louis, was appointed Oct. 30, leaving the managerial vacancy as the next major organizational decision.
Ausmus has previously interviewed for both senior baseball operations and managing positions in Houston. He was considered for the Astros’ manager job in 2020 before the club selected Dusty Baker, and he was a finalist for the general manager position before Dana Brown was hired ahead of 2023.
A connection built over a decade in Houston
Ausmus is a familiar figure to the Astros. He spent 10 seasons catching for Houston and is the franchise’s leader in games caught. He won three Gold Gloves with the club and was a member of the 2005 team that reached the World Series.
The former catcher also has ties to Jeff Bagwell, a senior adviser to Houston’s ownership and baseball operations. That relationship, combined with his background as a former player and major league manager, helps explain his continued presence in the Astros’ hiring discussions.
Ausmus managed Detroit from 2014 through 2017 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019, compiling a combined 386-422 record. His Tigers won the American League Central in his first season, but the club did not advance beyond the Division Series.
Why losing a bench coach would matter to Yankees
Ausmus joined the Yankees’ staff before the 2024 season. He worked alongside Boone through three regular seasons, giving him direct knowledge of the Yankees’ clubhouse, lineup planning, pitching staff and game-day routines.
He has also seen a club cycle through changing personnel and high postseason expectations. For the Yankees, the potential issue is less about replacing one job title than about preserving a trusted decision-making partnership while preparing for 2027.
If Houston ultimately hires him, the Yankees would have to revisit that staff arrangement even as other parts of the organization are changing.
There is a distinct difference between the two positions Houston has discussed with Ausmus. A general manager oversees roster construction and organizational strategy; a field manager directs the major league team. Houston’s hiring of Flores settles the first vacancy but leaves the second open.
Houston’s next decision could determine Yankees’ coaching stability
Keeping experienced coaches in place matters for a club attempting to recover from a disappointing finish to 2026. The Yankees have already confronted questions about continuity after another season ended without a championship.
A manager’s bench coach is more than an additional voice in the dugout. The position can involve advance planning, game preparation, in-game decisions and coordination across a staff. Any vacancy would require Boone to rebuild an important working relationship.
The Yankees have leaned on an established coaching structure while considering changes elsewhere in the organization. Yet one familiar member of that structure has ties to a club preparing to hire a new manager.
The Astros are expected to move quickly with the General Managers Meetings approaching. The franchise has an ownership group seeking a return to consistent postseason contention, and its new general manager will enter the process with a manager still to be appointed.
Ausmus brings previous managerial experience and deep connections to the organization, but Houston has other possibilities to consider. His Oct. 29 visit was for the general manager search; whether he receives fresh consideration for the manager job remains unresolved.
For now, Ausmus remains the Yankees’ bench coach. Houston’s next hire will determine whether Boone keeps one of his closest advisers or faces another staff opening during an already active offseason.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
