After a rare postseason miss, the Houston Astros are shaking things up, and a longtime hitting coach is the first major name to go. Once viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise’s offensive success, his exit signals that general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada are ready to make bold, possibly uncomfortable changes to reset the team’s direction.

Alex Cintrón, who joined the Astros’ staff in 2016 and became hitting coach in 2019, was not retained after his contract expired at the end of the 2025 season. The Athletic reports that Houston will not renew his deal, with more coaching changes expected in the coming days. The decision comes after a disappointing campaign in which the Astros’ offense sputtered, leading to their first playoff absence in nine years.

According to te

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