Former Astro 'Excited' For Coaching Return

It has been an offseason full of organizational changes for the Houston Astros instead of roster ones.

With general manager, Dana Brown, in his first full offseason in charge since being hired to that role January of 2023, he made some changes within his front office to reflect how he wants things to operate underneath of him.

He was also responsible for hiring a new manager after Dusty Baker retired this offseason as well.

Brown decided to offer the job to bench coach, Joe Espada, who seemed to be a manager-in-waiting and eventually got his opportunity.

With Espada filling out a coaching staff around him, they are welcoming back a former Astros manager, coach and player, Dave Clark, to take over as first base coach.

Clark spent last season as manager of Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League. He last was a Major League coach in 2020 with the Detroit Tigers.

"You know what, it’s very special ... I helped develop a lot of those players that were there early. It was fun to be with them at the big league level, and it’s fun to see the organization thrive ... I’m very excited to get back," he told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com about his return to the franchise.

According to him, this all came to be after Brown called to gauge his interest in the role. He then interviewed with Brown, Espada and senior advisor to ownership and baseball operations, Jeff Bagwell, who also happens to be Clark's former teammate while with Houston in 1998.

His return to the organization marks his second stint as a coach with the franchise.

In 2005, Clark became manager of the Astros' Double-A affiliate and then their Triple-A affiliate in 2008. He was promoted to third base coach for the 2009 season and was the team's interim manager for the final 13 games of the regular season.

He stayed with the organization as first base coach under new manager Brad Mills until he took a job with the Tigers before the 2014 season.

Now, Clark is back with the Astros and is ready to be an important piece to a potentially World Series-winning team.