Astros Dismiss General Manager Dana Brown Amid Mid-Season Struggles

The Houston Astros entered a nine-game home stretch holding a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers and a four-game advantage over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West race. During that homestand the team went 3-6, losing six of nine games to the Mariners, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics—each a club with a losing record. The slump left the Astros tied for first place but still retaining the division tiebreaker.

Newsweek

Owner Jim Crane announced that the organization “needed a change” and emphasized that the recent 3-6 homestand “had nothing to do with” Brown’s departure. Crane also noted that the decision was made the morning after the homestand concluded.

Newsweek

Former GM Dana Brown, who assumed the role in January 2023 and became the seventh Black general manager in MLB history, said the frustration over the Astros’ struggles “boiled over” and contributed to his dismissal. Brown also pushed back against suggestions that Crane fully controlled baseball operations, asserting that he was given freedom to run the club while acknowledging that some moves required ownership approval.

Newsweek

• “We go in and we lose six of the nine,” — Dana Brown

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• “I have a lot of respect for him,” — Dana Brown

Newsweek

Brown defended several offseason moves that had drawn scrutiny, including the trade for pitcher Mike Burrows (4-9, 5.99 ERA) and the signing of Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai (6-4, 5.32 ERA). He suggested that earlier development of those players might have altered the team’s standing. The dismissal occurs while Houston remains in contention for the AL West title, leaving the franchise to appoint a new general manager as the season progresses.

Newsweek