The Houston Astros' hunt for a new manager has a surprising name attached to it: Albert Pujols, the 703-home-run slugger who once tormented the franchise from the batter's box. The Astros are scheduled to interview Pujols for their managerial vacancy, a job that opened when the club announced on Oct. 14 that it would not bring back Joe Espada after his contract expired following his third season in charge.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Pujols is scheduled to interview for the Astros' managerial vacancy this week. The 46-year-old Pujols, who played 22 seasons with the Cardinals, Angels and Dodgers and ranks fourth on the all-time home run list, has made no secret of wanting to manage in the majors.
A Postseason Villain Turned Dugout Candidate
Houston fans of a certain age will remember Pujols for reasons that have nothing to do with a front office. He hit 62 of his 703 career regular-season home runs against the Astros — more than against any other opponent, according to The Athletic. The most famous of those blasts came in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS, a three-run shot off Brad Lidge that erased a two-run Cardinals deficit with two outs in the ninth inning and forced a Game 6 that Houston ultimately won on its way to the World Series.
Pujols has since built a managerial resume of his own. He managed Team Dominican Republic in this year's World Baseball Classic and in Dominican winter ball during the 2024-25 season, and he reportedly interviewed for the Angels' and Padres' managerial openings last offseason. He still has six years remaining on a 10-year personal services contract with the Angels, and he will become eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in winter 2027, ahead of a potential 2028 induction class.
Flores Takes Over a Search With a Ticking Clock
New general manager Randy Flores has taken over the managerial search after Astros owner Jim Crane said Monday that the team had already interviewed a few candidates. Flores called hiring a manager an immediate need, the Chronicle's report notes, and said he would lean on his network, experience and expertise to help move the club forward. Flores played alongside Pujols with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2004 to 2008, though he declined to discuss individual candidates when asked about his Cardinals connections, citing tampering rules that prevent him from speaking about employees of other organizations.
The timeline matters: a potential Dec. 1 lockout could leave whoever is hired with only a short window to begin connecting with players before that deadline, per the same Houston Chronicle account. That squeeze adds pressure to a search already drawing scrutiny from fans eager to see who steps into the dugout.
A Crowded Field of Candidates
Pujols is not the only name in the mix. Ausmus, also a reported candidate for the job, interviewed for the Astros' general manager position last week and has a strong relationship with Astros senior advisor Jeff Bagwell. The Astros also plan to interview Morgan Ensberg, a former Astros infielder who has managed the Tampa Bay Rays' Triple-A affiliate for the past three seasons and was a college teammate of Flores at the University of Southern California.
Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta is also a candidate for the job, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. With four candidates publicly tied to the opening and no confirmed hire, the Astros' decision — and its timing relative to the Dec. 1 lockout deadline — remains very much unresolved.
