MLB》The wild cards were swept by the White Sox, the Astros and the general manager broke up

The Astros will not re-sign Espada. (File photo, AFP)

[Sports Center/Comprehensive Report] This year, the Astros, who entered the playoffs as the leader in what was nicknamed the "weakest division", were swept by the White Sox in two straight games as a wild card. Earlier, the team announced that they were parting ways with head coach Joe Espada.

Espada coached the Astros for a total of 3 seasons, accumulating 256 wins and 229 losses in the regular season, with a winning percentage of 50% every year. However, his performance in the playoffs was poor and he was eliminated as a wild card twice. This year, he was swept by the White Sox at home. After the season, Espada's contract was about to expire, and the Astros also announced that they would not renew his contract.

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After deciding not to renew his contract, Astros owner Jim Crane issued a special statement thanking Espada for his efforts over the years. Espada's next step will be to interview with the Mariners. Although the head coach will not renew his contract, current news includes that the first base coach, hitting coach and others will still remain with the team.

The Astros' starting pitching staff encountered a wave of injuries this year, allowing Taiwanese veteran Kai-Wei Deng to start and run in both bullpens. They ended up with an 81-81 record, a winning rate of just over 50%, and entered the playoffs. They became the first team in the history of the major leagues to have a winning rate of less than 50% and still qualify for the playoffs.