Houston Astros interview Albert Pujols for managerial role

Albert Pujols Will Interview for the Astros’ Manager Job This Week

Albert Pujols, the future Hall of Famer who retired after the 2022 season, is set to interview this week for the Houston Astros’ managerial vacancy, a person with direct knowledge told USA Today. The news, first reported by USA Today Sports and confirmed by Yahoo Sports, makes Pujols the most prominent name yet in a search that also includes New York Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus.

If hired, Pujols would become the first 700-home run hitter to manage in the major leagues, a milestone that would cap a playing career that already includes three MVP awards and two World Series titles. He becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028.

The Astros are one of only two teams with a managerial opening right now, alongside the Los Angeles Angels, after the Seattle Mariners hired Jason Kanzler on Monday despite his having no managerial experience at any level.

Houston Astros To Interview Albert Pujols For Manager My Thoughts!!

A Reunion Years in the Making

Pujols landing in Houston would reunite him with Astros general manager Randy Flores, his former St. Louis Cardinals teammate when they won the 2006 World Series together. Flores, who held his introductory press conference Monday, declined to confirm or deny the interview but signaled urgency.

“I think there are rules on tampering that don’t permit me to talk directly about employees from other organizations,” Flores said. “I will say that I will lean on network, experience and expertise to help this club move forward.” He added that he hopes to have an immediate resolution to the vacancy.

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That history runs deep. Before the Astros moved to the American League West in 2013, Houston and Pujols’ Cardinals were NL Central rivals, meeting in the NL Championship Series in both 2004 and 2005. Pujols won MVP in the 2004 series after batting .500 (14-for-28) with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs in seven games. The Cardinals lost in six games in 2005, but Pujols hit a legendary ninth-inning walk-off home run in Game 5 that delayed Houston’s first World Series trip. Across his career, Pujols has 1,265 at-bats against the Astros, his most against any team in the regular season.

Built in the Dominican Republic

Pujols has spent the years since retirement building a managerial résumé abroad. He guided the Dominican Republic to a third-place finish in the 2026 World Baseball Classic and steered Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League to the 2025 Caribbean Series championship. He also interviewed last year for the Angels and San Diego Padres managerial vacancies.

Houston Astros interview Albert Pujols for managerial role — Photo: sports.yahoo.com

“For me, I’ve always been serious about everything that I do in this game,” Pujols told USA Today Sports in 2025, “and now I’m serious about managing. This game has done so much for me, and now, I want to give back. I’m ready.”

“He’s ready. And he’s going to be great. You talk about integrity. You talk about his IQ. You talk about his discipline. I call him APP, Albert Perfect Pujols. When a guy has that much to offer, and has so much love for the game, the game benefits when he wants to stay active and share.” — Tony La Russa, Hall of Fame manager who managed Pujols for 11 years in St. Louis

The Experience Question

Doubts are inevitable: Pujols has never managed a day in the major leagues, and he remains technically employed by the Angels, four years into a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract that was part of his 10-year, $240 million playing deal. Hiring him would require understanding the contract’s terms and the league’s tampering rules, which is why Flores avoided specific comments on Monday.

Albert Pujols Is interviewing for Astros Manager! Morgan Ensberg to interview, too! | The A-Team

Pujols has an answer for the experience gap. “I know I don’t have the experience as a manager, but 23 years in this game, you go through a lot,” he said. “I’m talking about experience from baseball, being on the field and in the locker room. It’s not going from a university to try to be a manager and not having any baseball experience. Old-school mentality can help young mentality. I’ve learned from some of the best managers in the game. I believe with my experience, and the way I can communicate with players, I can have success.”

Pujols, for his part, has made his pitch plain: “I’d love the opportunity to give back to the game of baseball.”