The Houston Astros hired Randy Flores as their new general manager on Friday, closing out a search that had included interviews with former Washington Nationals executive Mike Rizzo and Milwaukee Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine. Flores, 51, spent the past decade with the St. Louis Cardinals and becomes the 15th general manager in Astros franchise history, according to FOX Sports.
The hire fills the vacancy left by Dana Brown, who departed as Astros GM on Aug. 24 after serving in the role since Jan. 26, 2023. Houston opened its search after losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago White Sox.
The Main Development
Flores had been serving as St. Louis’ assistant general manager of amateur and pro acquisition before taking the Astros job. He joined the Cardinals’ front office as director of scouting in 2015 and worked as an assistant GM for the club across eight seasons from 2019 to 2026.
Astros owner Jim Crane praised the hire in a statement. “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,” Crane said.
Flores also addressed his new role. “I am excited and grateful for this amazing opportunity. The Astros have a long winning tradition under Jim Crane and I look forward to contributing to the success.
I want to thank the Cardinals organization for the opportunities and support that made this next chapter possible. My family and I are excited to make Houston home,” Flores said.
What The Astros GM Hire Means
Houston had reportedly made Kleine its top target earlier in the process, according to MLB.com. Kleine had recently signed an extension with the Brewers, which meant Houston would have needed to buy him out of that deal to land him. He was spotted on the red carpet with Crane at the Houston Sports Awards earlier in October, a sign of the Astros’ interest.
Rizzo, 65, also interviewed for the position, per USA Today. He was fired by the Nationals on July 6, 2025, after Washington went 37-53 and missed the postseason for five straight seasons. Rizzo had told friends of his desire to work for the Astros since Brown’s firing and pulled himself out of consideration for the Athletics’ opening this offseason, saying he preferred to join Houston. The Astros ultimately passed on both external finalists in favor of Flores.
Flores’ Background With The Cardinals
Flores pitched in the majors for eight seasons from 2002 to 2010, going 11-5 with a 4.61 ERA and four saves for Texas, Colorado, St. Louis and Minnesota. His transition from the mound to the front office took him through scouting before he rose to assistant GM duties covering amateur and pro acquisition for the Cardinals.
Kleine’s responsibilities in Milwaukee covered roster construction, major league transactions, financial planning, player evaluation, contract negotiation, staffing and procedural compliance. He had been promoted to assistant GM with the Brewers on Nov. 1, 2023, after 20 seasons with the organization. Internal Astros candidates Cook and Dickey also interviewed for the job during the search.
What’s Next
The Astros had preferred to have a GM in place by the time of the general manager meetings on Nov. 9 in Las Vegas, and Flores’ hiring puts him in position to represent Houston there. His first major decisions will shape the Astros’ roster heading into the offseason, including any moves tied to Isaac Paredes’ 2027 option and the club’s broader front-office direction under manager Joe Espada.
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