Astros Hire Randy Flores as General Manager

The Houston Astros hired Randy Flores as general manager Friday, putting a longtime St. Louis Cardinals executive in charge of their baseball operations following Dana Brown’s departure in August.

Flores, 51, becomes the 15th general manager in franchise history. He joined the Cardinals as scouting director in 2015 and served as an assistant general manager from 2019 through this season, working in amateur and professional player acquisition.

Owner Jim Crane emphasized that background in the hiring announcement, saying the interview process reinforced Houston’s view of Flores’ scouting experience. Flores thanked St. Louis for supporting his career and said his family looked forward to moving to Houston.

Brown had held the job since January 2023 before Crane dismissed him August 24. Houston reached the playoffs in nine of the past 10 seasons, but its last two postseason appearances ended in sweeps by Detroit in 2024 and the Chicago White Sox this year. That includes eight American League West titles during that span.

Flores’ route to the front office included eight major league seasons as a left-handed pitcher. His 350 appearances produced an 11–5 record and 4.61 ERA, with stops in Texas, Colorado, St. Louis and Minnesota.

He also returned to USC after his playing career, joining its coaching staff in 2013. The university’s account of that appointment describes a former recruited walk-on who became a ninth-round Yankees draft pick in 1997 after four college seasons.

Flores finished his USC career 42–10 with a 3.29 ERA. He earned a business administration degree with a finance concentration, then completed a master’s degree in postsecondary administration in 2014. His work outside professional baseball included college broadcasting and founding a sports video technology company.

Houston’s introduction of Flores is scheduled for Monday. The appointment fills the general manager vacancy as the club begins its offseason.