1st-Place Astros, GM Dana Brown Part Ways After Series Loss To Athletics

General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Monday, when it was tied for first place in the AL West. Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended Sunday to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead. And yet, the timing is questionable, given that the Astros remain in first place in the American League West, albeit as a sub-.500 team. At 65-66, however, Houston is still well ahead of where it was earlier in the season, when injuries ravaged the lineup and led the Astros to sit a season-low 11 games under .500 on May 20. Houston has gone 45-35 since, and finds itself in a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead as well as with the 65-66 Cleveland Guardians, which possess the third of three AL wild-card spots. For Brown, though, this at least gives him a head start on finding a new role elsewhere in baseball, if the expectation was that he was going to be a free agent at season’s end, anyway. Similarly, Houston can begin to consider next steps for the now-vacant GM role. Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition. Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023. “Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.” Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series. “I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.” The Associated Press contributed to this report