Former Astros Boss Dusty Baker Returning to Dugout for World Baseball Classic

Dusty Baker, who led the Houston Astros to the 2022 World Series championship, will be the manager of Team Nicaragua in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

MLB and other outlets reported the move on Monday.  

Baker left the game after the 2023 season, and the Astros were eliminated in the American League Championship Series by the Texas Rangers.

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Baker took over the franchise in 2020 after the electronic sign-stealing scandal cost manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. Baker’s task was to restore the franchise’s reputation and keep it competitive. He managed to do both.

In four seasons he went 320-226, leading the Astros to three AL West titles, four straight ALCS appearances and two World Series appearances. Houston lost to the Atlanta Braves in the 2021 World Series and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2022 World Series.

While with Houston, he became the first manager in MLB history to lead five franchises to division titles, the ninth manager to win an AL and NL pennant and the oldest manager to appear in and win a World Series.

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Baker has worked as a special assistant to the Giants since early 2024.

The 76-year-old hopes to help the country improve on its finish in the WBC in 2023. Team Nicaragua lost all four games in Pool D play.

The country will play in Pool D again in 2026, facing Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and Israel at loanDepot Park in Miami March 6-11, 2026.

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Team Japan is the defending champion and beat Team USA for the gold medal.

Baker is one of a handful of managers with more than 2,000 career wins and who possesses World Series rings as both a player and manager.

He finished his career with a record of 2,183-1,862. He is eighth on the all-time list of managerial wins. The closest active manager behind him is Cincinnati’s Terry Francona, who passed the 2,000-win mark earlier this season.   

Baker’s managerial career started with the Giants in 1993, and he spent a decade leading the franchise to two NL West titles, three playoff berths and the 2002 World Series, where the Giants lost to the Los Angeles Angels.

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After leaving the Giants, he went immediately to the same job with the Chicago Cubs and led them from 2003-06. Following that, he managed the Cincinnati Reds (2008-13) and the Washington Nationals (2016-17) and the Astros.

Before was Giants manager, he was a coach for the team from 1988-92, the last four of which as the team’s hitting coach under manager Roger Craig.

Baker built a reputation as a solid hitter as a player. He batted .278 in 19 seasons as he hit 242 home runs, 320 doubles, 23 triples, and 1,013 RBI.

He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice (1980 and 1981), and from 1980-82 he hit .303, averaging 20 home runs, 20 doubles, and 78 RBI a year while earning two Silver Slugger Awards, a Gold Glove, and two All-Star selections. He won his World Series ring as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.

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