The Houston Astros have reached an agreement with General Manager Jeff Luhnow to extend the contract. In addition, the architect of the World Series Champion will be promoted.
Luhnow signed a new five-year contract until the end of the 2023 season and is now President of Baseball Operations and General Manager of Astros. Further details of the contract have not been made public in accordance with the team guidelines.
“It wasn’t so long ago that Jeff and I went to a restaurant and people asked us what the hell we were doing here,” team owner and chairman Jim Crane recalled at the press conference on Monday. “We showed it to everyone and I pay him great tribute for it.”
Luhnow became the twelfth GM of Astros in December 2011 and had a clear mission to rebuild the franchise from scratch, after last reaching the post-season (and World Series) in 2005. In 2017, the Astros won their first World Series.
“I had the feeling in 2011 that we could implement this plan and that this would lead to good results,” said Luhnow: “But I didn’t expect to win a World Series so early. I’m glad and I’m not complaining.”
Regarding his new title, Luhnow said: “It is a commitment for both sides that I will be here for a long time. And no one will be able to come here and offer me that title and lure me away – not that I wanted to.” However, Luhnow admitted: “If at some point I have to give up my GM title, I will be ready to do so. But not now. “I will continue this operation as we have done so far.”
This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.