Reports: Nationals offer manager job to Dusty Baker over Bud Black
Despite earlier reports that the Nationals would hire Bud Black as their new manager, CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman reports the team will offer the position to Dusty Baker.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the Nationals have stopped negotiating with Black.
The Washington Postreported last week that Black would be named the team’s manager and Heyman confirmed the report. An official announcement was apparently on hold because MLB discourages teams from making major announcements during the World Series.
According to Nightengale, Black accepted the job when Washington general manager Mike Rizzo offered it to him, but the team extended a two-year offer worth less than $2 million total. The deal was “considerably lower than he anticipated,” Nightengale reports, noting that new Marlins manager Don Mattingly will make $10 million over four years.
Black was fired by the Padres 65 games into the 2015 season, while Baker has not managed a team since the Reds fired him after the 2013 season. He recently wrote a book about his experiences at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.
The Nationals are looking to replace Matt Williams, who was fired after leading the team to a disappointing 83–79 finish this season.
- Dan Gartland
