Astros hire Dana Brown as GM

The Houston Astros hired Dana Brown as their next general manager, the club announced Thursday.

Brown spent the last four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves.

"We are excited to have Dana join our organization," Astros owner Jim Crane said in the statement. "He brings championship-caliber experience to our team and is the right fit for us to continue to deliver a winning franchise on and off the field."

The longtime executive also spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations.

Brown succeeds James Click, who parted ways with the team earlier this winter after failing to agree to a new contract. Crane reportedly offered him a one-year extension, but Click was looking for a multi-year deal after helping propel the team to a title.

Crane also reportedly vetoed a deadline deal that Click had brokered with the Chicago Cubs that would've sent Jose Urquidy away in exchange for catcher Willson Contreras.

Six days after the Astros won the 2022 World Series, the team announced Click wouldn't return as GM. Click originally joined the team's front office in 2020 after the organization fired acting GM Jeff Luhnow, who MLB had suspended for one season for his role in covering up the 2017 sign-stealing scandal.

The league also suspended manager A.J. Hinch - whom Houston then fired - stripped the Astros of top draft picks, and fined them $5 million.

While the Astros have operated without a general manager for the majority of the offseason, assistant GMs Bill Firkus, Andrew Ball, and Charles Cook all helped run operations. The club added first baseman Jose Abreu on a three-year, $58.5-million deal in free agency and negotiated a three-year, $34.5-million extension with Rafael Montero.