Astros holding news conference Thursday regarding Dusty Baker's retirement, USA Today reports

ByMatt Guillermo KTRK logo
Thursday, October 26, 2023
What's next for the Astros? Expiring contracts abound in offseason
Michael Brantley and Martin Maldonado sit atop the list of Houston Astros who are free agents heading into the 2024 MLB season.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The coolest 74-year-old in baseball has managed his final season.

The Houston Astros have set a Thursday news conference regarding manager Dusty Baker's retirement from baseball, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported on Wednesday.

Eyewitness News has yet to confirm the event's timing.

Baker told the publication about his intentions to enter life after managing following 26 years in the dugout, 4,046 games managed, five division titles, three pennants, and the 2022 World Series championship.

SEE ALSO: Astros moving on from Dusty, others? See the team's expiring deals

"I'm very grateful and thankful to Jim Crane and the Houston Astros for giving me this opportunity, and to win a championship,'' Baker told USA Today. "I felt like they've been good for me, and I've been good for them."

Baker was first hired with the club in 2020 in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal that led to former manager AJ Hinch's termination.

Baker's Astros have made the postseason in all four of his seasons in Houston.

He also has managerial stints with San Francisco, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals, earning Manager of the Year three times.

Baker also has 18 years of major-league playing experience, including a stint with the 1981 World Series champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

SEE ALSO: Who is Joe Espada? Astros coach's name heats up as Baker's successor

As the Houston Astros ponder the immediate future, the managerial position may end up becoming vacant, and observers believe a longtime assistant could fill it.