The Houston Astros are in a time of transition, as the club moves on from World Series-winning manager Dusty Baker to the team’s former bench coach Joe Espada. In his four seasons with the club, Baker led Houston to a 320-226 (.586) record, reaching the 2021 World Series and winning it all the following year. If only there had been legalized Texas sports betting to join in on that impressive run.
Now, Houston’s task is avoiding the fate that befell Baker’s former clubs, in the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals — none of whom made it past the Divisional round in their first season post-Dusty.
Now that Baker’s chosen to (at least temporarily) hang up the spikes, BetTexas.com wanted to break down what Astros fans can expect in 2024, at least if his past teams are any indication.
Here’s how the longtime MLB manager’s past clubs have performed on the field the year after they moved on from the future Hall of Fame skipper.
MLB Clubs Post-Dusty Baker
Baker’s Teams Rarely Do Better After His Departure
Of the four teams that Baker has managed, only two posted a better year-over-year record the year after he left (compared to his final season with that team) — that being the 2003 Giants (who went from 95-66-1 to 100-61) and the 2007 Chicago Cubs, who went 85-77 after going 66-96 the year before.
Otherwise, Baker’s other two teams saw their records tank after he left, with the Reds going from 90-72 in 2013 to 76-86 in 2014, while the Nationals fell from 97-65 in 2017 to 82-80 in 2018.
Whether Houston will suffer a similar fate remains to be seen, though Baker’s past seems to indicate that Astros fans should expect a slight drop-off in on-field performance when the team hits the diamond for the first time in 2024.
