With the Houston Astros locked in a tight playoff race and fighting for first place in the AL West, they made the surprising announcement on Monday that they and GM Dana Brown have mutually agreed to part ways.
While the Astros are tied for first place in their division with the Texas Rangers, they are one game below .500 after a disappointing 3-6 homestand against three sub-.500 teams. They are in jeopardy of posting their first losing record over a full season since 2014.
Houston has been in steady decline since Brown became GM prior to the 2023 season, just months after the team won the World Series. The Astros' win percentage has dropped every season since then, and they missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016.
With Brown in the final season of his four-year contract, his tenure ends a few months prematurely. His duties will be transferred to assistant GMs Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff along with senior advisor Jeff Bagwell and owner Jim Crane.
While Brown's tenure produced two playoff appearances and three winning seasons, it will also be remembered as the fall of the Astros' dynasty and a period when much of the organization's talent departed.