Will Dusty Baker Return to Manage Astros in 2024?
Less than a year after they raised the Commissioner's Trophy, the Houston Astros are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The Astros entered the final month of the season tied for first place, with a 77-58 record. However, the club has struggled throughout September, going 8-12.
Saturday's 3-2 defeat clinched the Astros' fourth-straight series loss. Three of those series losses have come at the hands of the lowly Kansas City Royals (53-102 entering play Sunday) and Oakland Athletics (48-107).
If the season ended after Saturday, Houston would barely make the playoffs, as the American League's third Wild Card team and the final team in. However, there is no certainty that the Astros will be playing postseason baseball. The club is only up a half-game on the Seattle Mariners, with the two teams opening a critical three-game series at T-Mobile Park on Monday.
As Houston continues to slide in the final weeks of the regular season, Astros fans have taken to social media to air their frustrations, with manager Dusty Baker receiving the brunt of the criticism. Some from the outside are speculating whether Baker will return to manage the club in 2024.
Baker, 74, signed a one-year contract extension, following the 2022 season. The 25-year veteran manager is not under contract for 2024. If the Astros missed the playoffs, it could be a natural time to part ways with the baseball lifer. But moving on from Baker after one down year would seem like a knee-jerk reaction.
Baker was hired in January 2020 to replace A.J. Hinch in the aftermath of the sign-stealing scandal. Even with a short offseason and the challenges presented by COVID-19, Baker returned the Astros to the ALCS that fall. In the two years since, Houston has won back-to-back American League Pennants, and in 2022, Baker won his first World Series as a manager.
Baker has a golden reputation in the sport, and is well-liked by his players, the media and opposing clubs. The Astros may be experiencing a bit of a down year by their standards, but the club has been marred by injuries all season long. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr. and Jose Urquidy have all spent significant chunks of time on the IL.
Baker has needed to rely on a handful of inexperienced, young players and rookies, some of whom have shown tremendous promise. J.P. France and Hunter Brown have shown great potential, pitching out of the club's rotation. Utility man Mauricio Dubon and catcher Yainer Diaz have also impressed.
Baker should receive at least some credit for the positive development of his young players, who have seemed to respond well to the longtime manager.
At age 74, Baker could choose to call it a career upon the conclusion of the season, which would obviously require the Astros to replace him. But if Baker wants to remain with the club, I imagine he will stay put for 2024, as he should.
