Houston Astros GM Dana Brown supports manager Joe Espada despite the team's poor start. Kai-Wei Teng is set to make his first start of the season, while Spencer Arrighetti and Christian Walker show promising performances.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 19: Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) watches play from the home dugout during the MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros on April 19, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB:
**Astros GM Dana Brown says Manager Joe Espada is NOT in jeopardy of losing his job:**
From his suite overlooking Daikin Park, Astros GM Dana Brown backed manager Joe Espada on Sunday morning amid the team's 11-18 start.
"I can’t start pointing the finger at Joe because we’re walking a ton of guys and we’re banged up.” –
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler\_Rome) April 26, 2026
**Chandler Rome on where he sees fault lying with the Astros current state and slow start on the Gallant Says podcast with Sportsradio 610’s Paul Gallant:**
Who's more to blame for the Astros slow start between Joe Espada & Dana Brown?#ChaseTheFight | @ChandlerRomepic.twitter.com/SMyWQajpdQ
— Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) April 26, 2026
**Tyler Stafford also doesn’t think Espada is to blame for the Astros early season woes – from the Crush City Territory podcast he hosts with Chandler Rome:**
"This isn't a team that's just given up and is going through the motions."@tylercstafford doesn't believe Joe Espada can be pointed to as the issue for the Astros, but could a move still be made? pic.twitter.com/aFaVdezxTe
— Crush City Territory (@CrushCityShow) April 27, 2026
**Rome also questions if Brown has the authority to fore Espada if he wanted to (and that he currently does NOT want to) on his Crush City Territory podcast:**
"I am not sure that Dana Brown has the autonomous authority to [fire Joe Espada] if he wanted to. It doesn't sound like he wants to." breaks down the power dynamics within the Astros organization right now.
Q&A
Is Astros manager Joe Espada in danger of losing his job?
No, Astros GM Dana Brown has stated that Joe Espada is not in jeopardy of losing his job despite the team's slow start.
What are Kai-Wei Teng's stats going into his first start for the Astros?
Kai-Wei Teng has a 1-1 record with 16 strikeouts and a 2.61 ERA in 16.2 innings this season.
How has Spencer Arrighetti performed recently for the Astros?
Spencer Arrighetti has been the best healthy starter for the Astros, with a 2.00 ERA after going seven innings against the Yankees.
What improvements has Isaac Paredes made in his recent games?
Isaac Paredes has raised his batting average from .186 to .233 and has hit 3 home runs with 8 RBIs in his last 7 games.
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— Crush City Territory (@CrushCityShow) April 27, 2026
**The Astros will send Kai-Wei Teng to the mound for his first start of the season tomorrow in Baltimore vs. the Orioles:**
Standout reliever Teng to make first start for Astros Tuesday
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 27, 2026
**Teng has been a different pitcher this season for the Astros than he was last year for the Giants:**
Which Kai Wei Teng will the @astros get?
2025 with the Giants:
6.37 ERA in 7 starts
Or
2026:
1-1, 16K, 16.2 IP, 2.61 ERA
— Htown Wheelhouse™️2X World Series Champs '17, '22 (@HtownWheelhouse) April 27, 2026
**Teng will now replace the TBD:**
Astros probables at Baltimore:
Tuesday: TBD vs. RHP Shane Baz (0-2, 5.08)
Wednesday: RHP Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27) vs.RHP Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75)
Thursday: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2, 6.75) vs.RHP Brandon Young (2-0, 2.53)
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 26, 2026
**Spencer Arrighetti didn’t make the Opening Day roster, but was always expected to be the 6th starter. Things haven’t gone according to play for the Astros, but Arrighetti is currently their best healthy starter:**
Spencer Arrighetti went seven innings today against the Yankees, tying Lance McCullers Jr. (March 30) for the longest start by a Houston pitcher this year.
He gave up three hits, one run (a HR by Judge) and struck out eight batters to lower his ERA to 2.00 in 18 innings.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 26, 2026
**Christian Walker proving his first half last season was the fluke, not the second half:**
Christian Walker with an absolute tank (432 feet) pic.twitter.com/L9AlAeUGXG
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 26, 2026
Christian Walker has seven homers.
He hit is seventh last year on May 27.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 26, 2026
**After a slow start to the season, Isaac Paredes is finding his groove. Over his last 7 games, he has raised his AVG from .186 to .233, SLG from .254 to .384, OPS from .569 to .710. In that span he is 9×27, 3 HR, 8 RBI:**
Isaac Paredes sends a 2-run homer off the foul pole 💪 pic.twitter.com/dy1AtB1FpG
— MLB (@MLB) April 26, 2026
**SP Tatsuya Imai will make his first rehab start Tuesday for Double-A Corpus Christi:**
Tatsuya Imai will pitch Tuesday for Double-A Corpus Christi in first Minor League rehab outing.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 26, 2026
**Is Imai getting more comfortable in Houston, in America?**
New for @CrawfishBoxes: The Astros expect Tatsuya Imai to begin a rehab assignment in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, and Joe Espada believes Imai is getting more comfortable with the Astros
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) April 26, 2026
**SP Cody Bolton made his first rehab start at Sugar Land Sunday. He pitched 2 innings, allowed 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. He threw 20 pitches, including 13 for strikes:**
ANOTHER REHAB ALERT ‼️
RHP Cody Bolton is scheduled to make a rehab appearance with the Space Cowboys today! Subject to change without notice.
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) April 26, 2026
**Yordan Alvarez, Ruler of Worlds:**
Yordan Alvarez is tied for the MLB lead with 11 home runs, and he’s 1 of just 6 qualified hitters with a K-rate under 10%.
The other 5 hitters have combined for just 9 home runs this season.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 26, 2026
**Chandler Rome with an interesting take on the internet-based rumors of the Astros potentially dealing Yordan Alvarez on the Gallant Says podcast with Sportsradio 610’s Paul Gallant:**
I had to ask Chandler Rome about the ragebait Astros trade q that got wayyy too much traction this month.
— Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) April 27, 2026
**When Carlos Correa returned to Houston at the trade deadline last season, he was excited about the opportunity to play 3B and how it would take stress off his body no longer being an everyday SS. Due to multiple injuries to SS Jeremy Pena, Correa has had to primarily play SS. He’s been pretty good his first full season back in Houston:**
Carlos Correa this season:
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 27, 2026
**Is this Astros team just not built to withstand injuries? Chandler Rome on the Crush City Territory Podcast:**
"Other teams in baseball are just more equipped to deal with injuries than the Astros currently are."@Chandler\_Rome says the series against the Yankees showcased one of Houston's biggest flaws. pic.twitter.com/1EPUMd4aEA
— Crush City Territory (@CrushCityShow) April 27, 2026
**Christian Vazquez has been a total steal for the Astros so far:**
Christian Vázquez is 8th in Statcast catcher Fielding Run Value with 2.3. He’s caught 97 innings. The average innings for the top 10 catchers is 146.
— Tony Adams (@adams\_at) April 27, 2026
**The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora and a bunch of his coaches over the weekend in what looks like a power play by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow. Players are perturbed, media is perplexed, management is not on the same page and the owner is silent, as usual:**
Trevor Story is not happy with the decisions and says he wants to clear the air with Craig Breslow today. Says “some of the best coaches in the world didn’t get a fair shot.”
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 26, 2026
Pretty weird to see Craig Breslow paint the decision to fire Alex Cora as a joint decision, before Sam Kennedy makes it very clear this move was led by Breslow. pic.twitter.com/BhvwjLsZax
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken\_) April 26, 2026
Takeaways from the Kennedy/Breslow presser:
\* Kennedy said firing Cora and coaches was a Breslow-led process
\* Breslow didn’t rule out hiring another manager in-season
\* John Henry was in the firing meetings yesterday and players meeting this morning
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) April 26, 2026
From @spencernusbaum\_: Irate Red Sox players blast front office’s purge of Alex Cora and coaches
“If this shows us anything,” Trevor Story said, “it’s we’re here to play baseball, and that’s it. We don’t make decisions. We don’t have any input on that.”
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) April 26, 2026
By not allowing players to ask questions after firing Alex Cora, Red Sox higher-ups exemplified an ongoing lack of feel, says @Ken\_Rosenthal.
"This is a lack of respect for your players, and in Henry's case, not addressing anything is a lack of respect for your fans." pic.twitter.com/OuDg5x8jEf
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 27, 2026
"Alex Cora was one of the best guys I've ever seen at mixing analytics and communication with players."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 27, 2026
Text from a former Red Sox player (still MLB active):
“Just no accountability on (Breslow’s) part. Fires everyone but his pitching coaches? 7 coaches?! He should fire himself.”
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) April 26, 2026
**Red Sox SP Garrett Crochet has had how many managers now?**
Garrett Crochet noted that this is the seventh season in which he has been in the majors. And Chad Tracy is his seventh manager.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) April 26, 2026
**Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are the two oldest active players in MLB. They are both now on the IL after tough starts to the season:**
Max Scherzer lands on the IL with forearm and ankle injuries. He's one strikeout away from 3500, but he's posted a 9.64 ERA in five starts this season pic.twitter.com/8CDGRVVbKu
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball\_) April 27, 2026
**Pretty incredible testament to his longevity and ability to overcome adversity throughout his career:**
Aroldis Chapman now has 1,341 career strikeouts, passing Goose Gossage for the second most in MLB history among relievers.
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball\_) April 26, 2026
**Bacon got cooked:**
In a tie game in the 9th, umpire John Bacon called a strike to Rob Refsnyder that missed outside by 2.71 inches. Then, he tried to call him out on a pitch that missed by 5.97 inches.
This was the largest miss on a called strikeout this season.
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) April 27, 2026
**Former Phillies closer Ricky Bottalico lets loose on the team in it’s own postgame show:**
"The hitting is atrocious. The starting pitching is worse. And the bullpen is just all over the place… You want me to come on here and be positive and tell you everything's gonna be fine?…"
