Espada Absent as Astros Slip Past .500 | Houston Astros News

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada missed Sunday’s game due to a family emergency, with bench coach Omar Lopez stepping in to lead the team through a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to the Athletics after blowing a six-run lead. Lopez shared that Espada has been dealing with a difficult personal situation for weeks and offered a heartfelt reminder that everyone in baseball is human — facing struggles off the field. The loss drops the Astros below .500 and ties them with the Rangers atop the AL West. Espada is expected back for Tuesday’s series opener against the Yankees, though he may not address the situation publicly before then. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/cdcbe2aee9f43ebc