The Houston Astros could sit down with Albert Pujols in the coming days about their managerial vacancy, according to a report from @Punchoutpitch on X citing @mikedeportes, posted November 4. The interview isn’t confirmed yet — only Brad Ausmus and Luis Urueta have verified formal interviews so far — but Pujols’ name is circulating with enough weight to take seriously. Houston wants this search wrapped up before the week ends.
Why Pujols Isn’t Just a Famous Name Here
When a Hall of Fame player throws his name into a managerial search, the natural reaction is skepticism. With Pujols, that skepticism doesn’t really hold. Before any MLB team came calling, he’d already built a real managing résumé: he led the Leones del Escogido to the Dominican League title and the 2025 Caribbean Series championship, then managed the Dominican Republic national team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. These weren’t ceremonial roles — they were full seasons of bullpen decisions, lineup construction, and championship-level pressure.
His interest in an MLB dugout has been public for a while. There were conversations with the Los Angeles Angels — the team he holds a ten-year special assistant contract with — but nothing materialized. His name has also been linked to the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles. Houston would be his fourth shot at landing a big-league managerial job.
A Search Running on a Tight Clock
Context matters here. The Astros opened the vacancy after declining to renew Joe Espada’s contract. Espada managed the club for three seasons (2024–2026), posting a 256–229 record (.528 winning percentage), but the team was swept in the Wild Card Series by the Chicago White Sox.
Randy Flores came on as the new GM on November 2 — the franchise’s 15th general manager — and made the priority crystal clear at his introductory press conference: «Immediate. We need to get started on that and define it,» he said about the manager search, per Yahoo Sports. Owner Jim Crane was equally blunt at the same event: «We expect to resolve that very soon.» Neither quote is empty talk — Houston wants a manager named by the end of this week.
There’s also a personal connection worth noting: Flores and Pujols are both former St. Louis Cardinals. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s not irrelevant when a new GM is putting together his candidate list. What is concrete: Ausmus and Urueta already have formal interviews scheduled. For Pujols, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported he «has received consideration» — stopping short of confirming a formal meeting. The @mikedeportes report suggests that interview could be coming shortly.
Three Openings, One Pujols
Houston isn’t the only team with a vacancy this fall. The Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels are also looking for managers, which broadens Pujols’ options if the Astros go another direction. That said, Houston looks like the most active situation right now, with a brand-new GM and a declared sense of urgency.
Pujols retired in 2022 with 703 career home runs, three MVP awards, two World Series rings, and eleven All-Star selections. That résumé puts him in any executive or field conversation automatically. But what separates him from other retired stars who dream about the dugout is that he actually went out and earned his managerial stripes in the Caribbean, where winter ball doesn’t hand out anything for free. The Astros will know that when they sit across from him.
