| Omar López | |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros – No. 26 | |
| Bench Coach | |
| Born: (1977-01-03)January 3, 1977 (age 48) Valencia, Carabobo,Venezuela | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Omar E. López (born January 3, 1977) is aVenezuelan professionalbaseball coach and former player, scout, and manager inMinor League Baseball (MiLB). He is the bench coach for theHouston Astros ofMajor League Baseball (MLB), a role in which he has served since 2024. López has worked in the Astros' organization since 1999. López also managed theVenezuelan national team at the2023 World Baseball Classic and the2024 WBSC Premier12.
López playedshortstop andthird base inMinor League Baseball for theChicago White Sox organization in 1996 and 1997 and for theArizona Diamondbacks organization in 1998.[1] He then joined theHouston Astros organization in 1999 as ascout and hitting and infield instructor in Venezuela and worked in that capacity until 2007. H recommended that the team signJose Altuve when the future MVP was a 16-year-old.[2]
From 2008 to 2019, Lópezmanaged in the minors for several Astros' affiliates. As manager of theGulf Coast League Astros in2010, he was named the Astros' Player Development Man of the Year. In2013, he led theHigh-AQuad Cities River Bandits to an 81–57 record and theMidwest Leaguechampionship.[2][3]
During the 2014–15 season in thewinter leagueVenezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP), López managed theCaribes de Anzoátegui, and, at age 38, was the youngest manager in the league. He led the Caribes to the league championship and earned the Manager of the Year Award.[2]
In his most recent minor league managerial post, López helmed theDouble-ACorpus Christi Hooks in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, he led the Hooks to an 82–56 record, a postseason qualification, and earnedTexas League Manager of the Year honors.[2]
The Astros promoted him to their major leaguefirst base coach before the2020 season.[4] In2022, the Astros won 106 regular season games, the second-most in franchise history. They won theWorld Series, defeating thePhiladelphia Phillies in six games, earning López his first World Series title.[5]
López was named manager of theVenezuela national team for the2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournament on August 17, 2022.[6] In the WBC, López won his debut as Venezuela's manager in a 5–1 victory over theDominican Republic.[7] Venezuela wonPool D with a 4–0 record but were eliminated from the tournament by theUnited States in thequarterfinals, 9–7.[8]
On December 1, 2023, the Astros named López bench coach.[9]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Houston Astrosfirst base coach 2020—2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Houston Astrosbench coach 2024—present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
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