Murphy, Firova join staff

The Astros added minor league pitching coordinator Bill Murphy to their major league coaching staff and brought aboard Texas native Dan Firova to serve as manager Dusty Baker’s quality control coach.

Firova replaces Chris Speier, who retired following the 2020 season. Like Speier, Firova was a member of Baker’s Washington Nationals coaching staff from 2016-17. A Refugio native, Firova managed for 19 seasons in the Mexican league before joining Baker with the Nationals.

Murphy, 31, has been either a pitching coach or coordinator within the Astros organization for the last five seasons. He spent 2019 and 2020 as the organization’s pitching coordinator. Murphy worked with pitchers at the alternate training site and instructional league during the 2020 season.

Murphy’s addition is part of a small restructuring within the team’s pitching department. Longtime pitching coach Brent Strom will return, but Josh Miller also will hold the pitching coach title. Murphy will be an assistant pitching coach.

Other than those two changes, Baker’s major league staff remains the same from the 2020 season. Joe Espada will return as bench coach, Omar Lopez will coach first base and Gary Pettis will coach third. Last September, Pettis underwent treatment for multiple myeloma, but is expected to be healthy and ready for spring training.

Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker return as hitting coaches.