“Atlanta’s VP of Scouting is clearly emerging as the frontrunner.”

The Houston Astros have largely navigated this offseason free agency period without a general manager.

As of now, they haven’t hired yet for the 2023 season, but it looks like they’re honing in on their goals.

Nightengale said:

“Dana Brown, Atlanta’s vice president of scouting, has emerged as the clear frontrunner to become the next general manager of the Astros.”

Brown is the vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have long been one of the best-run organizations in baseball. They also had a knack for spotting talent that Brown and the rest of the scouting division excelled at.

The Astros liked what they did in Atlanta and seem ready to pull out Brown. With less than a month left before the pitcher and catcher will be sent to his training in the spring, it’s time for the Astros to hire someone for the role.

Houston Astros offseason

The Houston Astros have had a busy offseason without a general manager. But the biggest move wasn’t their own.

Justin Verlander, fresh off a dominant season with Cy Young, opted out of his contract and went into free agency. The Astros lost a key player as he eventually signed with the New York Mets.

The Astros have re-signed other players multiple times. They re-signed after Rafael Montero and Michael Brantley entered free agency.

They also strengthened their position at first base by adding Jose Abreu, one of the best first basemen in MLB. They haven’t replaced Verlander, but they still have one of the best rosters in baseball.

Still, they’re the ones with the best chances of winning the World Series. Most oddsmakers have them ahead of (or tied for) the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers as favorites, or at least co-favorites.

No team has been the same since the turn of the century, but it looks like the Houston Astros can pull it off.