Words by Malik Chambers – @buttamane.baseball
By the difference of one game, the Houston Astros fell short of making the playoffs for the first time in eight MLB seasons. The squad finished the season with an 87–75 record, losing the division to the 90–72 Seattle Mariners — a team that put a stranglehold on Houston by sweeping them in the final days of the season.
For nearly a decade, Houston fans enjoyed two World Series titles in four Fall Classic appearances, multiple American League championships, and a steady conveyor belt of young, major-league-ready talent. The 2025 Astros, however, were arguably the least healthy team in all of baseball, leading the league with 28 total players sent to the Injured List.. Several of those injuries were season-ending elbow ailments for key rotation pieces like Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Spencer Arrighetti, and Brandon Walter.
Even with that misfortune, championship-caliber teams are expected to win no matter what. The harsh reality is that all great dynasties eventually decline.
Household names like George Springer and Alex Bregman left for more lucrative free-agent deals, joining players like Gerrit Cole who were previously dealt away. Houston’s captain and newly minted designated hitter–left fielder, José Altuve, is playing the back half of his career at age 35 — still formidable but showing signs of decline. The once highly touted minor-league farm system Houston boasted is now a mere shell of itself, the result of late draft picks and years of trading away prospects for short-term success.
Despite this downturn, the Astros have built a foundation of winning — even in the wake of the 2017 electronic sign-stealing scandal. According to team owner Jim Crane, the “window is never closed” as long as he’s running the ship. To his credit, Crane is heavily involved in baseball operations, similar to Steve Cohen of the New York Mets and the late Peter Seidler of the San Diego Padres. He’s even created an advisory committee of Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson and Jeff Bagwell to weigh in on player signings and transactions.
Some would say Crane prefers to do things his own way — like when he declined to extend former GM James Click after the team’s 2022 World Series win, a move that left many in the industry puzzled. Why fire the guy who just brought you a championship?
Enter Dana Brown
Dana Brown took the reins as Houston’s general manager in 2023. For casual fans, his name may not ring a bell — but for baseball lifers, Brown is one of the most respected player evaluators of the 21st century. His mandate was simple:
Dipoto and Preller Keep Their Jobs — Why Not Dana?
“If we can’t beat him, let’s make him join us.” That might as well have been Houston’s thinking when hiring Brown. His scouting fingerprints were all over the Nationals and Braves — two teams that beat the Astros in the 2019 and 2021 World Series.
Despite years of underwhelming results, GMs like A.J. Preller (Padres) and Jerry Dipoto (Mariners) have retained their jobs and praise for their baseball IQ. Personally, I consider both Dipoto and Preller to be two of the best player talent evaluators with top level executive positions. Regardless, the Padres have yet to win an NLCS under Preller, while the Mariners just recorded their first playoff series win in nearly 25 years. Perry Minasian, GM of the Los Angeles Angels, has overseen 5 straight losing seasons, with several of those campaigns with both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the roster.
Source: @mikehuntley63 and @samblum3 on X
Meanwhile, Dana Brown inherited a contending roster and an ownership unwilling to spend beyond the luxury tax threshold. Jim Crane has consistently refused to sign long-term deals with key players like Springer, Correa, and Bregman.
And yet, when Dana makes bold moves — like trading Kyle Tucker for young, controllable talent (including former top prospect Cam Smith) or flipping prospects Jake Bloss and Joey Loperfido for Yusei Kikuchi (2024) — he’s questioned. In hindsight, Kikuchi rewarded the faith, posting a 5–1 record with a 2.70 ERA in his final 10 starts.
Make It Enough
Forgive me for jumping the gun, but: Why is the only Black GM in baseball on the hot seat for maintaining excellence, while others are allowed to be mediocre?
Dana Brown deserves patience. He’s proven willing to take risks, develop talent, and collaborate with ownership to build long-term success. Like Preller and Dipoto, Brown knows the game — and like the dynasties he helped build in Washington and Atlanta, his results will come with time.
I’m not accusing Jim Crane of having this bias. His decision to hire Dana in the first place reflects his faith in the process. It’s also worth noting that the previous post-James Click “GM-by-committee” era — featuring Reggie Jackson and Jeff Bagwell — now has far less influence on top-level decisions under Dana’s leadership. What I am suggesting is that the speculation surrounding Dana’s job status, while not overtly prejudicial, is downright absurd given his track record and pedigree.
The question remains: Will Jim Crane give him that time?
