The Miami Marlins are interviewing Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada for their managerial opening on Wednesday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Marlins announced last month that longtime skipper Don Mattingly would not return for the 2023 season, ending his seven-year run with the franchise.
The Astros' American League Division Series with the Seattle Mariners has a scheduled day off on Wednesday before resuming on Thursday, meaning that Espada's interview will not conflict with his responsibilities.
Espada, 47, has become a popular first-time managerial candidate over the last handful of years, but always a bridesmaid. He's interviewed for several openings, including last offseason with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets. When Espada didn't get those jobs, he returned to the Astros as their bench coach, a position that he's held since 2018.
Earlier this summer, Espada served as the Astros acting manager after Dusty Baker tested positive for COVID-19.
"Exciting. I'll be honest with you: This has been my dream for a long time," he told the Houston Chronicle about the experience. "I know that I'm just filling in right now for Dusty, but it's been a great experience, especially with this group of players. They're a special group. I've been here for five years, and these guys, they know how to win. Coming to work for them every single day is fantastic. Just the opportunity to do this for the last week, the last few days, is something that I cherish very much."
Prior to joining the Astros, Espada had worked with two other teams. Most recently, he spent a few seasons with the New York Yankees, serving as a third-base coach under Joe Girardi's guidance. Fittingly, the Marlins are the franchise with whom he's spent the most time. In addition to time spent as a minor-league coach and coordinator, he also put in a few seasons as their big-league third-base coach.
The Marlins are one of several franchises who will have new managers come next spring. You can keep track of all the changes using CBS Sports' managerial tracker.
