Astros hire Rays exec James Click as GM to replace Luhnow

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros hired James Click as their new general manager Monday, taking the Tampa Bay Rays executive and putting him in charge of the scandal-ridden team a week before the start of spring training.

Click succeeds Jeff Luhnow, who along with manager AJ Hinch was suspended by Major League Baseball last month in the wake of a sign-stealing scam and then fired by the Astros.

Houston, coming off a Game 7 loss to Washington in the World Series, hired Dusty Baker last week as manager.

Astros owner Jim Crane announced the addition of Click, who spent the last three seasons as the Rays' vice president of baseball operations. The 42-year-old Click had been with Tampa Bay for the last 14 seasons.

"I am excited to join the Astros family," Click said in a statement. “The Astros are a progressive and innovative organization with a deeply talented group in the front office.”

The Rays beat Oakland in the AL wild-card game and lost to Houston in the decisive Game 5 of the Division Series. Tampa Bay senior vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom was hired as chief baseball officer by the Boston Red Sox in late October.

“The departure of another talented, senior Rays executive is difficult," Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg said in a statement. “That difficulty is compounded by the timing of the departure, only days from the opening of spring training."

“A large number of former Rays staffers now populate senior team positions across the league. Most recently, two of the past three World Series winning teams, against whom we compete directly, have reached beyond their organizations and into our ranks to fill their top baseball operations positions," he said. “We have great organizational leadership, strong faith in our ability to...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Astros-hire-Rays-exec-James-Click-as-GM-to-15027400.php