Astros hire GM to turn page

Not long after f inding a new manager, the Astros have themselves a new general manager.

Ja mes Cl i c k wi l l take over the Astros after having served as the Rays’ vice president of baseball operations for the past three seasons. Click will work alongside the recently hired Dusty Baker, representing a new start for the scandal-plagued franchise, which saw GM Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch suspended and f ired after MLB’s investigation into sign-stealing.

“James has had an impressive career,” Houston owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “He is a respected leader who has progressed in this game across all aspects of Baseball Operations and he has built great relationships with both front off ice and clubhouse personnel. I am thrilled to introduce him as our new General Manager — he is a great addition to the Astros.”

The 42-year-old Yale grad worked his way up from a coordinator role in 2006, and spent time as the Rays’ director of baseball research and development and later their director of baseball operations. He becomes the 13th GM in Astros history.

“I am excited to join the Astros family,” Click said. “The Astros are a progressive and innovative organization with a deeply talented group in the front office. I am grateful to Jim Crane and the Astros for giving me this opportunity to help lead this team to more championships.”

Click will have to deal with the loss of the organization’s first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021 as part of the discipline handed down for the infamous cheating campaign, which used cameras to relay incoming pitches during their championship season of 2017.

The hiring is the latest raid on the Rays’ front office, which also lost Chaim Bloom to the Red Sox this winter.