LAS VEGAS — Brad is back.

Brad Ausmus, who managed the Tigers for four seasons, has been named manager of the Houston Astros. The team made the announcement Wednesday, Nov. 11, on Day 2 of Major League Baseball's general managers meetings.

For Ausmus, it's a homecoming. He played parts of 10 seasons in the majors with the Astros, who twice during his playing days was traded from Detroit to Houston, and once was traded from Houston to Detroit.

"I am very excited to be back in Houston," Ausmus said in a statement Wednesday. "The Astros and the city of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I'm thrilled to create a new chapter as the team's manager.

"I can't wait to get to work."

Ausmus, 57, got his first crack at managing with the Tigers, who hired him after Jim Leyland's retirement following the 2013 postseason. In four seasons in Detroit, Ausmus was 314-332. He led the Tigers to an American League Central championship in 2014, but the Tigers were swept in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles.

The Tigers didn't make the playoffs in his last three seasons, as the team entered a rebuilding phase. He was fired following the 2017 season.

Ausmus managed one season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019.

He returned to the dugout in 2022 as a bench coach with the A's, and he's spent the last three seasons as Aaron Boone's bench coach with the New York Yankees. Ausmus was an obvious target for the Astros once they moved on from manager Joe Espada. Future Hall-of-Fame slugger Albert Pujols also was a reported finalist for the Astros managerial job. New general manager Randy Flores chose Ausmus.

Ausmus was believed to have the support of influential Astros alums Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, former teammates of Ausmus, who also has experience working in the front office.

"Brad impressed us throughout the interview process, demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a winning culture both on and off the field," Flores said in a statement. "I am excited to work alongside Brad and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform."

Ausmus takes over an Astros team that was 81-81 in 2026 but still won the AL West. The Astros were swept in the wild-card series by the Chicago White Sox. The Astros missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time since 2016, the second year under current Tigers manager AJ Hinch.

Ausmus will be introduced at a press conference in Houston on Friday, Nov. 11.

With Ausmus' hiring, only the Angels remain without a manager.