Dusty Baker to Retire After Managing 26 Seasons; Won 2022 World Series with Astros
October 25, 2023
After 26 seasons as a manager in MLB, including the last four with the Houston Astros, Dusty Baker is retiring at the age of 74, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"I'm very grateful and thankful to Jim Crane and the Houston Astros for giving me this opportunity, and to win a championship,'' Baker said. "I felt like they've been good for me, and I've been good for them."
The longtime manager added that he plans to remain involved in baseball in an advisory position for the Astros or another team.
"I've still got a lot to offer; baseball has been my life,'" Baker added. "I have a lifetime of knowledge, much more than those who have never played the game."
"I'm gone," Baker said, "but I will be back."
The retirement was expected given there were rumblings prior to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series between the Astros and Texas Rangers that Baker was likely to step down at the end of Houston's playoff run.
Per The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli and Chandler Rome, Baker told multiple people inside and outside the Astros organization that 2023 would be his final season as their manager.
Speaking to reporters on Oct. 23 after Houston's 11-4 loss to the Rangers in Game 7 of the ALCS, Baker was mum when asked about his future.
"I haven't had time to evaluate or think about my future because … I'm not that kind of dude," he said. "I don't want to steal the spotlight or anything from these guys. You've got to savor what we did. You've got to think about how we can get better. And then I'll evaluate my situation and my life."
Rome reported on Sept. 7 that Baker's decision to not use Chas McCormick regularly had become a "source of frustration" for some within the organization.
Baker denied having any friction with McCormick when asked about the report prior to a Sept. 8 game against the San Diego Padres.
Baker has essentially been on a year-to-year deal with the Astros since being hired as their manager in January 2020. He took over for A.J. Hinch, who was fired for his role in the sign-stealing scandal the team used during the 2017 season and part of the 2018 season.
The original agreement was for one year with a team option for 2021. He signed back-to-back one-year deals in 2022 and 2023.
During his four seasons in Houston, Baker led the club to the ALCS every year. The Astros advanced to the World Series in 2021 and 2022, winning in 2022 to give Baker his first title as an MLB manager.
The Astros are 320-226 overall with Baker in the managerial chair. His 2,183 career wins in 26 seasons are the seventh-most all-time. The six managers ahead of him on the list are all in the Hall of Fame.
