Fresh off of his first career World Series victory as manager, Dusty Baker will return to the Astros in 2023, the team announced on Wednesday afternoon.
“The Astros have signed manager Dusty Baker to a one-year contract for the 2023 season, Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane announced today,” the team’s statement reads. “Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.”
Baker and Crane are set to speak to the media shortly after the announcement.
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Houston went 106–56 during the regular season, winning the AL West. Baker’s club was dominant in the playoffs, sweeping the Mariners and Yankees before beating the Phillies in six games in the World Series.
On Tuesday, Baker was asked about his contract status for next season, simply responding with, “We’re working on it.”
While some speculated that he could step away from the sport after winning the World Series that had eluded him, he rejected that idea after the title run.
“I always said if I win one, I wanted two,” Baker said. “I’m going to try to keep my word. I like to keep my word, especially like this. This was as much fun as I’ve had ever. I had forgotten about how much fun the ticker-tape parade was because it’s been 40 years since the last one I went to, and what it means to me and my family and the city of Houston.”
The 73-year-old Baker took over Houston after AJ Hinch, who led the franchise to the 2017 World Series championship, was fired in the wake of the franchise’s sign-stealing scandal. Baker led the team to an ALCS appearance in ’20 and a pennant in ’21, falling to the Braves in the World Series last year, before breaking through for his first championship in 25 years as MLB manager.
Baker previously led the Giants (1993 to 2002), Cubs (’03 to ’06), Reds (’08 to ’13) and Nationals (’16 to ’17). As a player, he was a two-time All-Star for the Dodgers, winning NLCS MVP in 1977 and helping the team to the ’81 World Series. Baker was a three-time Silver Slugger and won a Gold Glove in ’81.
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