Astros pitching coach Brent Strom says he won’t return to the club next season, and that he’s contemplating retirement from baseball.
As the Atlanta Braves celebrated a World Series victory on the field at Minute Maid Park, Astros pitching coach Brent Strom spoke with a few reporters around 11:30pm outside of the clubhouse. Strom was emotional as he expressed that he won’t be back with the Astros.
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“I’ve been in the game a long time,” said Strom. “I was out of the game, and Jeff Luhnow brought me back. So it’s difficult.”
Strom then specified that he’s not sure if he’ll retire completely, but his time with the Astros is definitely over.
“There may be another opportunity for me somewhere else,” Strom said “I may look at that. I may just go lie on a beach in Mexico; I need to enjoy my life a little bit. I haven’t had a summer in a long time. So we’ll see. I have not made a final decision yet, but I know I won’t be back as the Major League pitching coach here. I know that for a fact.”
73 year-old Strom is widely regarded as one of the best pitching coaches in the game. He joined the Astros in 2014 as they were rebuilding, and pitchers such as Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole sing his praises.
Strom also pointed to the young, up-and-coming pitching coaches on staff, Josh Miller and Bill Murphy.
“I think the organization is in a good place with these two young pitching coaches we have,” Strom said. “And I’m sure, had I stayed, there would be teams coming after these two guys.”
When asked what he’s most proud of, Strom pointed to the wide range of players he’s been able to coach while in Houston, combining old school methods with new-age analytics.
“I think just being able to take the information, as an older guy, that was provided to me by the organization, and meld it with the art and science of pitching,” Strom said through tears. “And I think that’s what I’m most proud of. I had 99 pitchers; 99 guys come through while I was here from ‘14 to ‘21. All the way from guys that pitched an inning or two, to Cy Young Award winners. So, that’s what I enjoyed most.”