Astros manager sends bold message about team's playoff redemption chances with Athletics in pursuit

The Houston Astros, led by Joe Espada in his first season, were very up and down in 2024. This year, their expectation is to be back among the greats like they were when they won two World Series and made seven straight ALCS trips.

Last year, they got off to a very poor start before heating up, but they still finished worse than years past and were upset in the Wild Card Round. This year, Espada is confident that they're still top dogs in their division.

During Spring Training, Espada said Monday:

"I truly believe that we're still the best team in the [AL] West. You answer that question on the field, and we know that. This is a team, complacency and arrogance is like your Achilles tendon, it can kill you. I always remind our players, yes we've been very successful, but things can turn quickly."

The manager said he and his team are confident but that they're monitoring their whole division:

"I think the Oakland A's are also making kind of a move. They have a pretty decent team, they're young and they play really hard."

He maintained that they take every series and every team seriously, but that the intradivision matchups will be particularly tough and particularly important in the playoff race.

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Astros skipper wants players to utilize big change in Spring Training

The ABS system, or automatic balls and strikes, is being tested in Spring Training this year, with the hope that it will one day be implemented into regular games to try and clean up missed calls behind the plate.

Joe Espada wants his players using ABS (Imagn)

Espada wants to see his players get used to using it to challenge balls and strikes they don't think were called accurately. According to Sports Business Journal, Espada wants them to take full advantage of it while they have it to adjust to the possibility.

He also said that he'd prefer hitters and catchers to use the challenges rather than pitchers. Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona doesn't want his players to adjust to something they can't use in the regular season, but the Astros manager disagrees.