Veteran skipper has guided Astros to World Series & two ALCS appearances
HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Astros and manager Dusty Baker have agreed to a new, one-year contract for the 2022 season.
Baker, who was originally hired by the Astros on January 29, 2020, has had great success as Houston’s skipper in his first two seasons. In 2021, he helped lead the Astros to the World Series, giving the club it’s third appearance in the Fall Classic in the past five seasons and it’s fourth in the Series in franchise history. In 2020, the Astros advanced to the American League Championships Series, falling just one win shy of the AL Pennant after losing to Tampa Bay in seven games.
Baker’s 17-12 (.586) postseason record over the past two seasons is the best all-time of any Astros manager. The Astros are also 4-2 in elimination games in that span.
Baker, who is one of the most successful managers in Major League history, has amassed 1,987 wins in his 24 seasons as a skipper, which ranks 12th all-time. In April, he passed Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel with his 1,906th career win to move into 12th place. Notably, 10 of the 11 managers ranking higher than Baker in career wins are in the Hall of Fame. Bruce Bochy, who ranks 11th in all-time wins with 2,003, is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame. In 2022, Baker will have the chance to surpass Bochy (2,003), Leo Durocher (2,008) and Walter Alston (2,040) in career wins. Baker played for the Dodgers under Alston in 1976, which was his last as a manager before retiring.
Baker reached two additional milestones in 2021. When the Astros clinched the AL West title in September, he became the first manager in MLB history to win division titles with five different clubs. And, when the Astros advanced to the World Series in October, Baker became the ninth manager in history to win pennants in both the AL and NL.
In addition to the Astros, Baker has also managed the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-06), Cincinnati Reds (2008-13) and Washington Nationals (2016-17), leading each of those clubs to postseason appearances.
