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The Houston Astros’ 2025 season ended disappointingly, marking their first playoff absence since 2016, with an 87-75 record. They finished tied for the final AL wild-card spot but lost the tiebreaker to the Detroit Tigers.
The year was characterized by an inconsistent offense—ranking 21st in runs scored and averaging a wRC+ of 100 after years of elite production—and a catastrophic injury-related loss, with 26 players on the disabled list 39 times for a total of 1,825 missed games, the worst total in MLB history according to FanGraphs metrics.
In response, owner Jim Crane authorized sweeping changes, firing five key players with expiring contracts without renewal offers.
No new hires have been announced, but the moves indicate a proactive reboot under the return of general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada. The departed staff includes:
Hitting coaches Alex Cintrón and Troy Snitker: Oversaw the offense’s slide into undisciplined habits, including the second-highest chase rate in the American League and the third-highest swing rate, with the team averaging just 3.76 pitches per plate appearance (a slight increase from 3.65 in 2024, but still among the lowest in the league).
Catching coach Michael Collins: Managed the development of catchers amid broader offensive issues.
Head athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall: Served 10 years; The team has come under scrutiny for its mishandling of injuries such as Yordan Álvarez’s initial hand fracture (misdiagnosed as a strain, sidelining him for 100 games) and setbacks in the rehabilitation of Jake Meyers and eight starting pitchers (four of whom underwent elbow surgery).
Assistant GM Andrew Ball: Managed roster evaluation, sports medicine, and research and development; his departure reinforces the focus on injury prevention.
The rest of the coaching staff, including pitching coach Josh Miller and bench coach Jason Varitek, are expected to return, providing some continuity.
These changes have impacted the organization, players, and fans, primarily the root causes of the 2025 failures: a stagnant offense that scored three runs or fewer in 82 games (with only six teams finishing worse after the trade deadline) and an injury epidemic that negated the highest projected WAR of any MLB team.
Offensively, the coaching staff shakeup disrupts a hitting philosophy that had fueled seven consecutive ALCS appearances but devolved into pressure and overaggression, as Brown noted: “Our guys were pressing a little bit because there were guys missing in the lineup, and we were trying to do too much.”
This resulted in fewer two-strike counts and less work from pitchers, which exacerbated the slumps of stars like Álvarez and Isaac Paredes (who missed significant time with a wrist injury).
Regarding injuries, Randall’s firing—following a season in which the rotation alone lost more value due to injuries than any other unit—may foster better protocols, but it risks creating short-term instability in sports medicine.
Players like Álvarez and Paredes cited gaps in the lineup as factors forcing riskier swings, creating a feedback loop of poor at-bats and more overcompensation injuries.
Reactions from fans and the media have been positive, viewing the firings as overdue accountability rather than scapegoating. Astros fans on X celebrated the “big day” of the firing of the hitting coaches and strength and conditioning coach, with one prominent fan account declaring that the measures demonstrate that Crane “is serious about making changes.”
A broader narrative, including conversations with former MLB reliever Joba Chamberlain, questions the batting staff’s role in the offense’s “disappearance” during late-season efforts. However, some critics argue the changes sidestep deeper issues, such as the lack of depth in the minor leagues that amplified the consequences of injuries, calling it a “nightmare” beyond training.
In the short term, the Astros face fierce competition to sign specialized players, which could delay the cohesion of spring training in 2026. Cintrón (nine years with Houston) and Snitker are “sacrificial goats” for a franchise dealing with the loss of free agents like Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, according to insiders, shifting pressure onto Espada’s revamped bench.
The impact on the front office following Ball’s departure could slow trades geared toward research and development, while the lack of training invites scrutiny if early injuries persist. Brown promised a “deep analysis” of diagnoses and rehabilitation to “avoid them.”
The long-term consequences include a cultural readjustment: Espada must instill a “disciplined approach” to regain the elite offense that “takes pitches and drives the ball in batter counts,” as he put it, amid a roster in transition from its championship core.
If new hires (e.g., data-driven hitting gurus or injury specialists) align with Brown’s “find your pitch” vision, the “poor timing and inconsistency” of 2025 could be mitigated. A failure could lead to even more fan disillusionment, especially after a season in which modest improvements (e.g., a slight increase in pitches seen) masked systemic failures.
