Astros Set to Hire Nats’ Bo Porter

Porter will remain with the Nationals through this season

The Houston Astros will name Washington Nationals third-base coach Bo Porter as their manager for next season, according to a FoxSports.com report. The Astros, the worst team in the majors at 51-105, fired manager Brad Mills on Aug. 18 and replaced him a day later with Tony DeFrancesco on an interim basis.

Porter, 40, has served as the Nats’ third base coach since last season after holding the same position with he Diamondbacks in 2010. Porter served as Kirk Gibson’s interim bench coach for part of that season as well. while Porter has no managerial experience at the major-league level, he played in parts of three seasons with the Chicago Cubs, the Oakland Athletics, and the Texas Rangers.

The Astros are moving to the American League West in 2013, and Porter will have his work cut out for him. The team has essentially traded away most of its veterans players as the organization began a youth movement are here this summer, including  Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, J.A. Happ; first baseman Carlos Lee outfielder Michael Bourn; and third baseman Chris Johnson. 

General manager Jeff Luhnow set the plan in motion that follows how the Tampa Bay Rays  were built into contenders.

Other finalists for the Astros job included DeFrancesco, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar.