Milwaukee Brewers assistant general manager Matt Kleine reportedly turned down an offer to become the Houston Astros’ general manager, choosing to remain with the reigning World Series champions rather than take over Houston’s baseball operations department.
Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported October 30, citing multiple anonymous sources, that Houston had offered Kleine the position. On Wednesday, November 4, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy separately reported that Kleine declined the offer after considerable deliberation, deciding to remain in Milwaukee.
Neither organization has publicly confirmed the offer or provided an explanation for Kleine’s decision.
Kleine Emerged as Houston’s Leading Candidate
Kleine, 40, was widely viewed as the leading candidate during the final stages of Houston’s search to replace Dana Brown, who was dismissed August 24.
The Brewers executive accompanied Astros owner Jim Crane to the Houston Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October, drawing attention to his candidacy before reports emerged that Houston had offered him the job.
Kleine completed his 20th season with Milwaukee in 2026. He joined the organization as an associate scout in 2007 and advanced through scouting, baseball operations, and executive positions before becoming assistant general manager in November 2023.
His responsibilities include roster construction, major-league transactions, financial planning, player evaluation, contract negotiations, and salary arbitration.
Kleine also has an earlier connection to Houston, having worked as an intern in the Astros’ media relations department in 2007.
The Brewers’ success made him an intriguing candidate. Milwaukee captured its first World Series championship in October, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in five games while demonstrating the effectiveness of an organization that competes without one of baseball’s largest payrolls.
Houston Turns to Flores
The Astros announced Randy Flores as their new general manager October 30, ending a search that lasted more than two months.
Flores, 51, spent 11 seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals’ front office, including eight as assistant general manager. He joined St. Louis as director of scouting in 2015 and developed a reputation for his work in amateur scouting and player acquisition.
During Flores’ introductory news conference Monday, Crane said Houston had interviewed eight or nine candidates. He praised Flores’ experience and confirmed that the new general manager would oversee baseball operations decisions.
The reports from Rome and McCalvy indicate that Houston offered the position to Kleine before ultimately hiring Flores. The circumstances surrounding Kleine’s decision remain unclear, and neither organization has publicly addressed the reported negotiations.
Different Directions for Two Executives
Kleine remains with a Milwaukee organization coming off its first championship, while Flores takes charge of an Astros franchise facing questions about its veteran roster, declining organizational depth, and future competitiveness.
Flores’ immediate priorities include hiring a manager to replace Joe Espada and preparing Houston for an offseason that could be disrupted by a potential December 1 labor lockout.
For Houston, the reported offer to Kleine provides a previously undisclosed detail about a general manager search conducted largely outside public view.
The Astros ultimately hired an experienced executive with a strong scouting background. Whether Kleine would have taken the organization in a different direction is impossible to determine.
What the reporting establishes is that Houston pursued another candidate seriously enough to offer him the position—and that candidate chose to remain in Milwaukee.
