Astros fire GM Dana Brown despite west standings lead
The Houston Astros have parted ways with general manager Dana Brown despite still leading the AL west standings, the club announced Monday. Owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations while assistants and senior adviser Jeff Bagwell absorb Brown's duties after a recent losing skid.
Key Takeaways
- Brown is out after serving as Astros GM since Jan. 26, 2023; his contract was set to expire after this season.
- Houston sits first in the AL west standings at 65-66 but has lost six of its past eight games.
- Assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff, plus Jeff Bagwell, will assume Brown's responsibilities under Crane.
- FOX Sports notes the AL West is noncompetitive, with all five clubs owning losing records.
Why did the Astros fire Dana Brown now?
Brown's fourth season as GM followed a playoff miss in 2025, the franchise's first since 2016. ESPN reported the Astros have dropped six of their last eight, undercutting a first-place position built more on division weakness than momentum.
According to FOX Sports, Brown struggled to assemble a winning pitching staff despite adding six pitchers to major-league deals last winter. A disappointing 3-6 homestand against division foes preceded the Monday move.
Crane thanked Brown for helping win two division titles and for scouting, draft and development work. Brown, in turn, thanked Crane for his first MLB GM opportunity and said he looks ahead after more than 36 years in pro baseball.
How do the west standings explain the timing?
The timing looks odd because Houston still tops the west standings. ESPN lists the Astros at 65-66 and first in the AL West. FOX Sports adds that if the season ended today, Houston would make the playoffs while one game under .500—an indictment of a soft division more than a roaring club.
CBS Sports notes Brown lasted longer than predecessor James Click under hands-on owner Crane. With the draft and trade deadline over, Crane moved before the offseason rather than wait out a lame-duck GM.
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Who runs Astros baseball operations after Brown?
The team said Brown's duties shift to assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff, and senior adviser Jeff Bagwell. Crane will oversee baseball operations through the transition as Houston focuses on the American League West division race.
For more on the announcement, see ESPN's report. CBS Sports separately flagged other MLB executives who could face heat after Brown's exit, underscoring how quickly front-office seats turn over when results lag.
Brown was hired from the Braves' scouting ranks to rebuild a farm system hit by draft-pick penalties from the 2017 sign-stealing scandal. FOX Sports says that system hovered near the bottom of MLB throughout his tenure—another pressure point as Crane reasserts control.