After leading the Houston Astros to the American League Division Series in his first season, manager A.J. Hinch has agreed to a contract revision, according to Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle.
The details of the new contract are not currently available. That’s not a huge change, as Hinch’s original deal, agreed to in September 2014, was also not revealed publicly. A person familiar with the deal told Drellich that Hinch’s new contract is believed to run through the 2018 season. He will also receive a raise in salary.
The Astros made their first playoff appearance since 2005 when they reached the World Series, going 86-76, and would defeat the New York Yankees in a one-game playoff for the American League Wild Card before losing to the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series.
Despite the early playoff exit, the Astros’ 2015 season was far from disappointing and the front office as well as the rest of the league took notice of Hinch’s performance. The 41-year-old former catcher finished runner-up to Jeff Banister of the Texas Rangers in the 2015 American League Manager of the Year vote. Hinch’s first season in Houston was a massive improvement over his brief stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went 89-123 in his first go-round as a big-league manager.
With a skipper like Hinch leading the way for a young, talented group of players like Dallas Keuchel, Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa, it was only fitting that the Astros front office would restructure his contract to provide more long-term stability.
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