A.J. Hinch

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hinch's time with the Astros began on September 29, 2014, replacing Bo Porter. In his debut 2015 season, he led the team to an 86–76 record and a Wild Card berth, their first playoff appearance since 2005. The playoffs saw them defeat the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Game before falling to the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS. After a non-playoff 2016 season, Hinch engineered a historic turnaround in 2017. The team achieved a franchise-record 50 wins in their first 74 games, finishing 101–61 to win the AL West. In the postseason, Hinch made pivotal decisions, such as using Justin Verlander in relief during Game 4 of the ALDS against Boston and starting Charlie Morton in Game 7 of the ALCS against New York, which secured their first-ever AL pennant. The Astros went on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games to win the World Series, with Hinch earning his 14th playoff victory as manager.

In Their Own Story

The 2019 season marked another peak for the franchise under Hinch's leadership. On May 28, he won his 500th game as a manager. The Astros finished the regular season with a franchise-record 107 wins but ultimately lost to the Washington Nationals in seven games during the World Series. However, the following offseason brought a dramatic turn. On January 13, 2020, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Hinch for one year and fired him from the team due to his involvement in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal. While investigations showed Hinch did not approve of players using a replay monitor to decode signs and even wrecked the monitor on two occasions, he admitted he failed to stop the practice or explicitly communicate his disapproval. Owner Jim Crane stated that while neither Hinch nor GM Jeff Luhnow started the scheme, neither did anything about it, leading to their dismissal.

Reader's Guide

Managing the Houston Astros from 2015 through 2019, Hinch oversaw a period of unprecedented regular-season dominance and postseason success. His strategic adjustments were evident in high-stakes games; for instance, during the 2017 ALCS against the Yankees, he relied on relievers Chris Devenski and Joe Musgrove to secure wins alongside starters Dallas Keuchel, Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr., and Charlie Morton. The team won over 100 regular-season games each year from 2017 to 2019, setting a club record with 107 victories in 2019. Hinch also signed a four-year extension on August 30, 2018, reflecting the organization's confidence in his leadership. Despite this success, his tenure ended abruptly when he was suspended for the entire 2020 season and fired by owner Jim Crane alongside general manager Jeff Luhnow for violating MLB policies regarding sign stealing.

Did You Know?

• Hinch became the youngest manager of a Major League team since Eric Wedge when he was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks at age 34 years and 357 days.
• Before his managerial career, Hinch won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
• During the sign-stealing scandal investigation, it was revealed that Hinch wrecked the replay monitor used to decode signs on at least two occasions but failed to stop the practice.
• Hinch's 2017 World Series victory marked his 14th playoff win as an Astros manager, setting a new club record that surpassed Phil Garner's previous mark of 13.
• In the 2019 regular season, Hinch guided the Astros to a franchise-record 107 wins before losing the World Series to the Washington Nationals.