He was the architect who took the Washington Nationals to the elite during his years there, and he ended up putting together the team that defeated the Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series.

Now, Mike Rizzo, who since his dismissal from the Nationals on July 6, 2025, has aspired to take over the Astros’ general manager position to rebuild the strength that turned Houston into one of the most consistent teams of the recent decade.

According to USA TODAY Sports reporter Bob Nightengale, a couple of sources speaking on condition of anonymity because the Astros want to keep their search private said that Rizzo will be interviewed this Monday for the vacant general manager position, joining a list of candidates that includes Matt Kleine, assistant general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.

I think the final decision could come down to the two of them, which will probably become public after the World Series ends, and I think Rizzo’s track record could carry significant weight in the race.

His experience and accomplishments in scouting and roster construction with the Nationals make him a strong option given his proven track record.

However, his challenge in Houston would be a little different, as he will have to deal with the recent problems of a franchise that has managed to reach the postseason in nine of the last ten years but has been unable to achieve stability in its last two appearances in October.

The Problems the Astros’ Next General Manager Should Face

To begin with, Houston will have to hire a new manager. That would be a good first step once the team has a general manager. Then, the rest of the priorities that have hit the roster the hardest, such as looking for a couple of starters capable of providing stability to the rotation, improving the bullpen and, what seems to me to be a very important point, changing the offensive mentality of these Astros.

That goes along with the recent defensive problems and an offensive philosophy built around relying on power, which lacks fast players capable of bringing a different balance to the lineup.

They will also have to decide what to do with Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes, who could be trade candidates this winter. One of them could be a trade option and, as we have analyzed here, keeping both of them would also be an interesting strategy to build their infield alongside Carlos Correa, which would end up leading Houston to look for a way out of first baseman Christian Walker’s contract.

Another key point that should be addressed once and for all is the defensive inconsistency at key positions, starting with catcher, where starter Yainer Diaz has been a below-average defender.

The Astros have also had inconsistencies at second base, where José Altuve has shown a defensive decline that was predictable, and in left field, a position where Houston did not find a stable solution during 2026.

The Houston Astros have used 15 different left fielders over the last two seasons, and they began 2026 with such uncertainty after letting go of the versatile Mauricio Dubon, who played the position in 133 games in 2025 with a solid 2.2 fWAR and 6 defensive runs saved, the best mark on the team among all defenders during that period.

Without Dubon, it was clear that Yordan Alvarez would not be the solution, and Houston had to face the process, but none of its prospects was able to get the job done.

The new general manager will also have to address several salary arbitration cases and evaluate how to strengthen the minor league system. The Astros need to develop more players capable of meeting their needs in the short term, rather than relying on outside additions for every roster vacancy.