What happened: Houston has spoken with Josh Barfield and Randy Flores about its general manager vacancy. The conversations mark the latest step in a wide search conducted during the postseason.

Why it matters: The vacancy anchors an October reset with the front office setting roster direction for the winter. A new general manager will inherit immediate decisions on staffing and the major-league roster.

What to watch: Interviews continue with additional candidates in the mix. A hire could arrive before the end of October.