Could Houston Astros Bring Back GM Jeff Luhnow After Firing James Click?
In this story:
Six days after the Houston Astros won the 2022 World Series, the club fired its general manager James Click, after Click declined a one-year contract for the 2023 season.
Assistant general manager Scott Powers, who the club hired last offseason, was also dismissed. Other employees hired by Click could soon be exiting the club's front office.
Click was hired in January 2020 to replace longtime general manager Jeff Luhnow, who was let go by the Astros along with manager A.J. Hinch amid the revelation of the club's sign-stealing scandal.
Luhnow was the architect of the Astros' 2017 and 2022 World Series teams. 19 players on the club's 26-man World Series roster were either drafted, signed or acquired by Luhnow himself, including starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier, who the Astros signed for $10,000 each on the same day in March 2015.
The Astros have an opening at the top of their front office, and an opportunity to bring back the man that constructed a juggernaut that has appeared in six straight American League Championship Series and counting. So will they?
Since being dismissed by the Astros and receiving a suspension from Major League Baseball for the 2020 season, Luhnow has shifted his focus to soccer. Luhnow has purchased two different professional clubs, Cancún F.C. in Mexico and CD Leganés in Spain.
Luhnow seems energized by his new challenge, having just purchased CD Leganés in June, but Astros owner Jim Crane can pursue him, if he wants to.
There will likely be rumors linking the Astros to former Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns to the open position, and other candidates will also likely emerge.
It remains to be seen what direction the Astros will go in, but the general manager position is open once again, if Luhnow and the Astros would like to reunite.
For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.
