It's only been a week since Dusty Baker retired, but the Houston Astros are already searching for his replacement.
With several other teams like the Cleveland Guardians and New York Mets looking for a new manager as well, there's going to be some competition for the top candidates over the next few weeks.
One of those candidates is current Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who has already interviewed with the Guardians and has ties to the Mets.
According to a new report on Tuesday, the Astros also appear to have their eye on Counsell, although their level of interest is still up for debate.
According to Brewers beat reporter Curt Hogg, "The Houston Astros have expressed interest, as well, according to a source, but it’s unclear how serious their pursuit would be."
With Counsell already in talks with several other teams, the Astros may feel that they're behind the eight ball and are too late to make a serious run at him. His contract expires today, so he's officially free to sign with a new team.
Based on his impressive track record, though, why wouldn't Houston be interested?
Counsell has been one of the most successful managers in baseball for nearly a decade, guiding Milwaukee to a .531 winning percentage, five playoff appearances and three division titles since taking over in 2015.
He managed to do that with less-talented rosters, too, given the Brewers' aversion to spending.
With the Astros built to win now after falling one win shy of a third straight World Series appearance, hiring a proven winner like Counsell would make a lot of sense. He's also 21 years younger than Baker and played as recently as 2011, making him a lot more relatable to Houston's players.
If Cleveland or New York doesn't strike a deal with Counsell soon, the Astros should swoop in and snag him before it's too late.
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