The Houston Astros hired Randy Flores to be their new general manager on Friday. Flores will look to help the Astros get back on track following an overall disappointing 2026 season. Houston did win the American League West division, but the team also earned just 81 victories and was quickly eliminated in the AL Wild Card round of the postseason.

The Astros were linked to a number of candidates, but Flores is receiving the job. Team owner Jim Crane explained the decision to hire Flores in a statement, via Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY.

“Randy has had a huge impact on the Cardinals over the last 10 seasons. Throughout the entire interview process we’ve been thoroughly impressed with Randy and his background in scouting and player acquisition. We’re happy to welcome Randy and his family to the Astros and we can’t wait to get to work on bringing another championship to Houston.”

Flores, 51, played in MLB from 2002-2010, spending time with the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins. He was primarily a relief pitcher, making 350 total appearances and recording a 4.61 ERA.

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Since retiring, Flores has spent time as both an analyst and in the front office for the Cardinals. With St. Louis, he made it as high as assistant general manager in the organization. Flores has impressed in his front office career, and he clearly caught the attention of Crane and the Astros.

He is entering an intriguing situation. Houston still has enough talent to compete, but one could also argue that it is time for the ball club to rebuild. It will be interesting to see what direction Flores takes the team in.