Nov. 5 (UPI) — The Houston Astros are bringing back manager Dusty Baker on a one-year deal for the 2022 season, the team announced Friday.
Baker guided the Astros to the World Series this season after taking over the team before the 2020 campaign.
“He’s done a great job this last year,” Astros owner Jim Crane told reporters. “Great in the locker room, great with the fans, great with the media. We’re very, very excited to have him back.”
Baker has led five different teams to the postseason and came within two wins of capturing his first World Series championship as a manager this season. He currently ranks 12th in MLB history with 1,987 career wins and could climb to ninth with 54 victories next year, passing Bruce Bochy (2,003), Leo Durocher (2,008) and Walter Alston (2,040).
“Looking forward to being part of this organization and this city,” Baker said. “I have some tremendous ties here and have some unfinished business to take care of. But we’re close. We’re getting better and better every year.”
Baker guided the Astros to the American League Championship Series in 2020 before winning the AL West Division title in 2021. Houston beat the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS and the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS before losing to the Atlanta Braves in six games during the Fall Classic.
The Astros hired Baker after the organization fired A.J. Hinch due to the club’s illegal sign-stealing scandal that rocked the sport in 2019. Baker said he believes the franchise has moved past those times.
“I talked to a lot of players,” Baker said. “Some guys are interested in coming here that might not have been interested in coming here before, so I think our future is very bright.”
Before joining the Astros in 2020, Baker managed the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-06), Cincinnati Reds (2008-13) and Washington Nationals (2016-17).
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