HOUSTON – Dusty Baker has retired as manager of the Houston Astros, ending a 26-year career as a big league skipper. Baker, who led the Astros to a World Series win last season, announced his retirement in an interview with USA Today.
Baker expressed his gratitude to Astros owner Jim Crane for the opportunity to manage the team and win a championship. He also mentioned his interest in moving into an advisory role in baseball, either with the Astros or a team closer to his Northern California home.
During his career, Baker accumulated 2,183 victories in 4,046 regular-season games, ranking ninth in managerial wins. He became the 12th manager in major league history to reach 2,000 wins and the first Black man to accomplish this feat. Baker is considered a legend in the sport.
After finishing his playing career as an outfielder, Baker began his managerial career in 1993. He managed several teams including the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, and the Houston Astros. Baker is the only manager in major league history to take five different teams to the postseason.
Baker joined the Astros in 2020 to help restore the team’s image after the sign-stealing scandal that led to the dismissal of manager A.J. Hinch. Under Baker’s leadership, the Astros reached the playoffs in each of his four seasons and won the pennant twice.
He is one of three Black managers to win a World Series, joining Dave Roberts (Dodgers, 2020) and Cito Gaston (Blue Jays, 1992 and 1993). Throughout his career, Baker had experienced both triumph and heartbreak, including a devastating loss in the 2002 World Series as the manager of the San Francisco Giants.
After being fired by the Washington Nationals in 2017, Baker thought he might never have another opportunity to manage and win a championship. However, he returned to the dugout when Astros owner Jim Crane called him after the sign-stealing scandal.
Baker’s retirement marks the end of an era for the Houston Astros. The team has scheduled a news conference for Thursday to address Baker’s retirement, with Baker, Crane, and general manager Dana Brown expected to attend.
