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Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The Houston Astros are eyeing former Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels skipper Brad Ausmus for the team's vacant manager position. League sources told MLB Media and the Houston Chronicle that Ausmus interviewed with the Astros on Friday. The club has yet to confirm the meeting.
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Ausmus, 50, has previous managing experience with the Tigers (2014-17) and Angels (2019). He has compiled a 314-332 record as a manager and guided Detroit to a postseason appearance in 2014.
Ausmus spent one season as the Angels' manager, leading the team to a 72-90 record before he was fired at the end of last September. Los Angeles replaced him with former Chicago Cubs skipper Joe Maddon, who parted ways with the Cubs in that same week.
During his playing career, Ausmus had two stints with the Astros (1997-98, 2001-08) and won three Gold Glove Awards at catcher in Houston. He helped the Astros reach the playoffs five times, including the club's first pennant-winning season in 2005.
Astros owner Jim Crane told reporters Tuesday that he hopes to wrap up the team's managerial search by early next week. According to MLB Media, other candidates include Dusty Baker, Buck Showalter, John Gibbons, Eduardo Perez, Will Venable and Jeff Banister. Houston bench coach Joe Espada also interviewed for the position last week.
The Astros fired general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch on Jan. 13 for their connection to an illegal sign-stealing scheme. Luhnow and Hinch were suspended for the 2020 season, and the club was fined $5 million and docked multiple draft picks.
