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Joe Espada is intent on sticking with the Houston Astros next season following their World Series title in 2022.
The team lifted the trophy thanks to a lot of different pieces. They had an elite pitching staff and a shutdown bullpen.
They were anchored on offense by rookies, veterans and different types of hitters. One thing that may go overlooked given the talent they had to play with is the coaching staff.
Dusty Baker and his staff expertly worked their way through a long, tenuous regular season and a tense, stressful postseason. They deserve a lot of credit. Part of that staff is Espada.
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The bench coach has been with the Astros since right after their first World Series win in 2017. He has interviewed for a couple of managerial positions over the years, but has remained a loyal Astro.
According to Mark Feinsand, that will continue next season.
Espada said:
“I’m excited about coming back. Would like nothing more than to help lead this team to another World Series.”
Repeating in the MLB is a difficult task. No team has done it since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000. Doing so will require all hands on deck, and that includes Espada.
Houston Astros' odds of repeating next season
Espada wants to win another World Series ring. He was not present for the title in 2017 and saw the team fall short in 2018, 2019 and 2020, losing the Fall Classic in the latter two years.
Having finally won it all, he wants nothing more than to give it another go next season.
It's way too early to tell who might win the World Series since free agency has only just begun. However, odds are already in. They'll fluctuate, but the current standing has Houston with a good chance of repeating, according to Yahoo! Sports:
- +500: Los Angeles Dodgers
- +700: Houston Astros
- +800: Atlanta Braves
- +900: New York Yankees
- 10-to-1: New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays
- 14-to-1: San Diego Padres
- 16-to-1: Philadelphia Phillies
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the favorites, but they were also favored to win this year. The Astros will likely be pleased with such good odds.
