New Chapter: Former Astros Catcher Lands Bench Key Role With Emerging AL Contender
The Houston Astros will be a bit more steady on the coaching side of things this offseason after Dusty Baker announced his retirement last year that prompted the organization to do a managerial search.
Joe Espada was named the team’s skipper, getting his first shot at being a Major League manager in 2024 after he had interviewed for different jobs previously.
All things considered, he did a good job.
Following the rocky start where the Astros were unthinkably in last place of the AL West at one point because of the multiple injuries they had suffered, Espada was able to keep his team focused until they won yet another division title.
That didn’t carry over into the playoffs since they were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card round, but it was a solid managerial debut for Espada nonetheless.
Someone else who was apart of this Houston organization is getting his first coaching job this year as well.
According to an announcement made by the Baltimore Orioles, they have hired Robinson Chirinos to serve as the bench coach under Brandon Hyde.
Chirinos was with the Astros in 2019 after signing a one-year deal, and in September of that campaign, he caught the third no-hitter of Justin Verlander’s career.
He moved on after the season, bouncing around to a couple of different teams before he retired after 2023, but there are plenty of people inside the league who think the former catcher will become a Major League manager one day.
If that’s the case, he’ll get his first coaching experience as an important part of the Orioles staff.
Baltimore is seen as a rising powerhouse in the American League because of how many star youngsters they have on their roster and in their pipeline, but two early exits in the playoffs where they couldn’t win a single game caused them to shake some things up this winter.
Chirinos is expected to be a major part of that franchise going forward.
