James Click is now a free agent.
The Astros GM, fresh off winning the 2022 World Series, declined the team’s one-year contract offer on Friday morning and has parted ways with the team.
“We are grateful for all of James’ contributions,” Astros owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “We have had great success in each of his three seasons and James has been an important part of that success. I want to personally thank him and wish him and his family well moving forward.”
Click’s contract expired on Oct. 31, and he was “quite upset” with owner Jim Crane’s offer, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman — who called it an “invitation to leave.”
The 44-year-old delivered back-to-back World Series appearances, keeping the Astros among MLB’s most serious contenders despite the fallout from the franchise’s cheating scandal.
Per the Associated Press, the Astros are believed to be the first team in search of a new GM after winning a World Series title since 1947, when the Yankees’ Larry MacPhail was replaced by George Weiss.
James Click was seemingly unhappy with the Astros’ contract extension offer. Getty ImagesWednesday, Crane offered some praise to his GM.
“We’re going over that,” he said. “But I think James has done a good job. He stepped in and made some good moves. We’ll sit down and see where we’re going to end up with James.”
The owner stopped short of giving Click, a former member of the Rays front office, a full-throated seal of approval, however.
“I’ve run a lot of businesses,” he said. “This one is no different. I’m never satisfied. If I was satisfied maybe we wouldn’t be where we are. But I press everybody to get better from top to bottom … so I’m always looking to improve and I can improve, the people on my team can improve and the players can improve. So the standard is there for everyone.”
Several reports point to former Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns — previously an Astros executive and a Mets front-office target — as a potential Click replacement.
Manager Dusty Baker, 73, accepted the Astros’ one-year offer to return, reportedly happy to go year-to-year at this point in his career.
The same cannot be said for Click, who will likely have plenty of suitors this winter.
