The Houston Astros were the best team in baseball during the 2022 MLB Season and they proved it by winning the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. After the infamous sign stealing scandal, the franchise seemed destined to failure, but, the front office trusted in one man to rise from the ashes: Dusty Baker.
In 2020, after A.J. Hinch was fired as a consequence of the MLB suspensions, Dusty Baker got the job and received a team under huge scrutiny in baseball. Nevertheless, it was also a roster full of stars such as Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman or Justin Verlander. Surprisingly, this would be Baker's first gig in the American League.
Dusty Baker's powerful presence in the clubhouse led the Astros to three consecutive ALCS (2020-2022) and two straight World Series appearances (2021 and 2022). During the 2022 MLB postseason, Houston were almost flawless. They swept the Mariners and the Yankees in the ALDS and the ALCS. Then, in the 2022 World Series, the Astros came back from a 2-1 deficit to win their second championship.
How many World Series has Dusty Baker won?
Prior to becoming manager, Dusty Baker was a great player during 19 seasons in MLB, especially with the Dodgers. In Los Angeles, Baker won a Gold Glove Award, two Silver Slugger Awards and was named twice to the All-Star Game. He also won the MVP Award in the 1977 National League Championship Series.
As a player, Dusty Baker appeared three times in the World Series and won once in the 1981 edition when the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees. Then, after his retirement in 1986, Baker became manager and led teams such as the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, the Washington Nationals and then the Astros.
In his career as a manager, Dusty Baker has reached the World Series three times, but his first victory leading the clubhouse finally came in the 2022 edition with the Astros. He lost in 2002 with the Giants and in 2021 with Houston. Baker is the first manager in history to win a division title with five different teams and he was also the first one who's reached the playoffs with five different clubs. In another impressive feat, Dusty Baker is the ninth manager to win pennants in both Leagues (American and National). Baker has won more than 2000 games in MLB and, at 73 years old, he is the oldest manager ever to conquer a World Series.
