The Astros made their front-office move official Friday evening, hiring Randy Flores as their new general manager.
The decision comes after a week of shifting reports around Houston’s search. On Thursday morning, The Athletic reported that Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine had emerged as the frontrunner for the job, but the Astros ultimately went in a different direction. Earlier in the week, The Athletic also noted that Kleine had been seeking the title of president of baseball operations, adding another layer to the uncertainty around Houston’s search.
Flores arrives after spending 10 seasons with the Cardinals, and Astros owner Jim Crane pointed to that background when explaining the hire. Crane said Flores “has had a huge impact on the Cardinals over the last 10 seasons” and added that Houston was impressed “with his background in scouting and player acquisition.”
Crane also said the Astros are “happy to welcome Randy and his family to the Astros” and said the club is focused on “bringing another championship to Houston.”
What comes next
Flores and Crane are scheduled to meet with the media during an introductory press conference Monday morning. That appearance should provide the first real chance to hear how Flores views the job, how he sees the roster-building process, and what the Astros expect from their new general manager moving forward.
