The Houston Astros hired Randy Flores as their new general manager Friday, filling a vacancy that had lingered since late August.
Flores becomes the 15th general manager in franchise history. He arrives from the St. Louis Cardinals, where he spent the past eight seasons as assistant general manager of amateur and pro acquisition after joining the front office as director of scouting in 2015.
“Randy has had a huge impact on the Cardinals over the last 10 seasons,” Astros owner Jim Crane said. “Throughout the entire interview process we’ve been thoroughly impressed with Randy and his background in scouting and player acquisition. We’re happy to welcome Randy and his family to the Astros and we can’t wait to get to work on bringing another championship to Houston.”
Flores expressed enthusiasm for the move.
“I am excited and grateful for this amazing opportunity,” he said. “The Astros have a long winning tradition under Jim Crane and I look forward to contributing to the success. I want to thank the Cardinals organization for the opportunities and support that made this next chapter possible. My family and I are excited to make Houston home.”
The 51-year-old Flores oversaw both amateur and professional player acquisition efforts in St. Louis. He previously served as the Cardinals’ scouting director beginning in 2015, a role that involved running the club’s drafts for more than a decade.
Before moving into the front office, Flores pitched in the major leagues. He appeared in 350 games across parts of eight seasons from 2002 to 2010 with the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins.
His career numbers included an 11-5 record, a 4.61 ERA, 202 strikeouts and 250 innings pitched, almost entirely as a left-handed reliever. He was part of the Cardinals’ bullpen that won the 2006 World Series.
After retiring as a player, Flores returned to the University of Southern California, his alma mater. He earned a master’s degree in education, coached pitching there and founded OnDeck Digital, a video technology company used by scouting departments.
The Astros and former general manager Dana Brown mutually agreed to part ways in late August. Brown had held the position since January 2023.
Houston finished the 2026 season with an 81-81 record and claimed the American League West title by one game over the Texas Rangers. The club then lost its American League Wild Card Series to the Chicago White Sox in two games.
The Astros reached the postseason in 10 of the last 12 seasons. They won World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.
Flores and Crane are scheduled to meet with the media at 10 a.m. Monday in the press conference room at Daikin Park.
A native of the Los Angeles area, Flores and his wife, Lindsey, have three children. The hiring ends a search that lasted roughly two months.
