Former Astros manager Joe Espada says thank you and goodbye to Houston

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) is seen during the seventh inning of a MLB baseball game at Daikin Park, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle) A day after the Houston Astros announced that he will not return as manager, Joe Espada bade farewell to the organization and its fans in a social media post Thursday night.Espada spent the last three seasons as Astros manager, following six seasons as their bench coach. The team announced Wednesday it would not renew his contract when it expired at the end of this month, ending Espada's tenure in the organization. Houston went 81-81 this season, won the American League West and lost in the wild-card round to the White Sox.In a post shared on Instagram, Espada wrote: "I want to thank the Astros organization for giving me the opportunity to be part of (its) history. To my players, coaches, staff and everyone (who) worked tirelessly behind the scenes, it has truly been an honor to share this journey with you. To the fans, thank you for your support, passion and for standing by us through every victory and every challenge."Former Astros manager Joe Espada posted this on Instagram this evening https://t.co/p5BIuD9Y5V https://t.co/rBReKno2yR- Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 16, 2026The Astros went 256-229 and won two AL West titles in Espada's three seasons as manager. They didn't record a playoff win in that time, falling twice in the wild-card round. They overcame slow starts to win the division in both 2024 and '26, doing so this season despite roster issues and injuries and following the dismissal of former general manager Dana Brown in August.In his six seasons as Astros bench coach, under managers A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker, Espada was part of teams that reached three World Series and won one. He helped develop Houston's infielders in that time and was promoted to manager after the 2023 season to succeed Baker, his first manager job in affiliated baseball after holding coaching and front-office roles with the Marlins, Yankees and Astros.TOP TEN:Where does Joe Espada rank among Astros' managersEspada, a steady and optimistic presence during his time as manager, wrote in his social media post that "the time has come to begin a new chapter" after his nine seasons with the Astros."I leave with tremendous gratitude and pride in everything we accomplished together, and a deep appreciation for this city and its people," he wrote. "Thank you Houston from the bottom of (my) heart."SubscribeThere’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Former Astros manager Joe Espada says thank you and goodbye to Houston.