Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Dusty Baker

Discover the career path of Dusty Baker, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Dusty Baker Jr. is a former MLB outfielder and manager. He played for 19 seasons, prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning two All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger Awards, and a Gold Glove Award. He was the inaugural NLCS MVP in 1977 and contributed to the Dodgers' 1981 World Series victory. Baker also played for the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1908: First postseason series victory for the team since the 1908 World Series

In 1908, Dusty Baker led the Cubs to victory over the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series, the first postseason series victory for the team since the 1908 World Series.

1967: First Baseball Games in the Texas League

In 1967, Dusty Baker played his first baseball games in the Texas League in Austin in the AA classification, playing nine games.

1967: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves

In 1967, Dusty Baker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the amateur draft, and he signed with the team after Hank Aaron influenced his decision.

September 7, 1968: MLB Debut

On September 7, 1968, Dusty Baker made his major league debut as a call-up against the Houston Astros, going 0-for-1.

1970: First Rookie Manager to Win 100 Games

In 1970, Dusty Baker became the first manager since Sparky Anderson to win 100 games as a rookie manager, and the fourth to ever do so.

1970: Played for the Richmond Braves

In 1970, Dusty Baker played for the Triple-A Richmond Braves and batted over .300.

1971: Played for the Richmond Braves

In 1971, Dusty Baker played for the Triple-A Richmond Braves and batted over .300.

1972: Made Opening Day Roster

In 1972, Dusty Baker made the roster for Opening Day, marking a true start to his major league career. He played in 127 games and batted .321.

April 8, 1974: Played behind Hank Aaron when he broke the record

On April 8, 1974, Dusty Baker batted fifth in the lineup behind Hank Aaron when Aaron hit his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth in career home runs.

November 17, 1975: Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers

On November 17, 1975, Dusty Baker was traded along with Ed Goodson from the Atlanta Braves to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jerry Royster, Tom Paciorek, Lee Lacy and Jimmy Wynn.

1975: First season since 1975 where he drew more walks than strikeouts

Dusty Baker's 1983 season was the first time since 1975 where he drew more walks than strikeouts.

1976: First Season with the Dodgers

In 1976, Dusty Baker's first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers saw him bat .242 in 112 games and require knee surgery after the season.

1977: Key role in the NLCS

In 1977, Dusty Baker played a key role in the NLCS, hitting a grand slam in Game 2 and a two-run home run in Game 4, helping the Dodgers win the National League pennant and earning him the NLCS MVP award.

1977: NLCS MVP

In 1977, Dusty Baker received the first-ever NLCS MVP for his performance during the National League Championship Series. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

1978: NLCS Win

In 1978, Dusty Baker and the Dodgers won the NLCS again, with Baker batting .467. However, they lost the World Series to the Yankees.

1979: Batted .274

In 1979, Dusty Baker batted .274 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1980: Silver Slugger Award

In 1980, Dusty Baker batted .294 with 170 hits, 29 home runs, and 97 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also finished fourth in MVP voting while winning the Silver Slugger Award.

1981: All-Star, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and World Series Title

In 1981, Dusty Baker had a career-high batting average of .320 and was named to his first All-Star Game. He was awarded the Silver Slugger Award and the Gold Glove Award. The Dodgers won the World Series.

1981: World Series championship

In 1981, Dusty Baker was a member of the World Series championship team. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

1983: Final Season with the Dodgers

In 1983, Dusty Baker closed out his Dodgers career by batting .260 with 138 hits. This season marked the first time since 1975 where he had more walks than strikeouts.

1984: Signed with the San Francisco Giants

In 1984, Dusty Baker signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent. He played 100 games and batted .292.

March 24, 1985: Traded to the Oakland Athletics

On March 24, 1985, Dusty Baker was traded to the Oakland Athletics for two minor league players.

October 4, 1986: Final Game

On October 4, 1986, Dusty Baker appeared in his final game against the Kansas City Royals. He went 0-for-1 with two walks.

1987: Retired from Baseball

In 1987, Dusty Baker elected for free agency and subsequently retired after the Athletics offered to send him down to Triple-A for the season.

1988: Joins Giants as First Base Coach

In 1988, Dusty Baker's coaching career began as a first base coach for the San Francisco Giants.

1989: Becomes Giants Hitting Coach

In 1989, Dusty Baker transitioned to the role of hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants, a position he held for four years.

1989: First Postseason Series Victory since 1989

In 1989, Dusty Baker's Giants secured their first postseason series victory since 1989.

1990: Reds manager hired with no prior ties to the organization

In 1990, Dusty Baker was being the first Reds manager hired with no prior ties to the organization since 1990.

December 16, 1992: Baker Hired as Giants Manager

On December 16, 1992, Dusty Baker was hired to manage the San Francisco Giants, becoming the seventh black manager in Major League Baseball.

1992: Cito Gaston Wins Championship

In 1992, Cito Gaston was the first African American to manage a World Series team, managing the Toronto Blue Jays to championships.

1992: Managed the Scottsdale Scorpions

In 1992, Dusty Baker managed the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.

1993: Cito Gaston Wins Championship Again

In 1993, Cito Gaston managed the Toronto Blue Jays to another championship, marking him as the first African American to manage a World Series team.

1995: Missed playoffs

In 1995, Dusty Baker became the eighth and last manager to lead a team to 100 wins without making it to the postseason.

1997: Giants Win Division Title

In 1997, Dusty Baker's Giants won a division title, and Baker received Manager of the Year honors.

1998: Lost Tie-Breaker

In 1998, Dusty Baker and the Giants lost a tie-breaker game for the Wild Card spot.

2000: Giants Win Division Title

In 2000, Dusty Baker's Giants won another division title, and Baker again won Manager of the Year honors.

November 15, 2002: Hired by Chicago Cubs

On November 15, 2002, Dusty Baker was hired by the Chicago Cubs to a four-year deal, replacing Bruce Kimm.

2002: Giants Clinch Wild Card and Win Pennant

In 2002, Dusty Baker's Giants clinched the Wild Card, defeated the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS for their first postseason series victory since 1989, and won the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, securing their first pennant in thirteen years. They advanced to the World Series against the Anaheim Angels.

2003: Controversial Statement and Division Title

In 2003, Dusty Baker made a controversial statement about race and sports, but he also led the Cubs to their first division title in fourteen years and their first postseason series victory since 1908. The Cubs then faced the Florida Marlins in the National League Championship Series.

2003: First League Championship Series Since 2003

In 2020, the Astros appearance in the League Championship Series marked the first time since 2003 that a Dusty Baker-led team had reached that stage.

2004: Wild Card Chase and 1000th Win

In 2004, Dusty Baker's Cubs were involved in a heated wild card chase but ultimately missed the playoffs. On August 30, 2004, Baker won his 1,000th game as a manager.

2005: Cubs Finish with Losing Record

In 2005, Dusty Baker's Cubs finished with a 79–83 record, marking their first losing season in three years, largely due to injuries to key players.

2006: Cubs Decline to Renew Baker's Contract

After the 2006 season ended, the Chicago Cubs declined to renew Dusty Baker's contract.

2006: ESPN Analyst

In 2006, Baker served as an ESPN analyst during the MLB postseason.

2006: Cubs Decline and Baker Scrutinized

In 2006, the Cubs' performance declined further under Dusty Baker, leading to increased scrutiny over his management style and traditionalist approach to baseball.

October 13, 2007: Hired as Manager of Cincinnati Reds

On October 13, 2007, Dusty Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the first black manager in the team's history.

2007: ESPN Analyst

In 2007, Baker continued his role as an ESPN analyst.

2007: Lou Piniella to replace Baker

In 2007, the Cubs turned to Lou Piniella to replace Dusty Baker for the 2007 season.

September 28, 2010: Reds Win Central Title

On September 28, 2010, Dusty Baker's Cincinnati Reds won the Central title, leading to their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

October 4, 2010: Baker Signs Contract Extension

On October 4, 2010, Dusty Baker signed a two-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds.

2010: Bruce Bochy eclipses Baker

In 2010, Bruce Bochy eclipsed Dusty Baker as the all-time winningest manager in the San Francisco era of Giants history. Bochy also managing the Giants to World Series titles.

October 15, 2012: Signed Contract Extension with Reds

On October 15, 2012, Dusty Baker signed a two-year contract extension as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

2012: Bruce Bochy manages the Giants to the World Series title

In 2012, Bruce Bochy managing the Giants to World Series titles.

October 22, 2013: Fired by the Reds

On October 22, 2013, Dusty Baker was fired by the Cincinnati Reds, three days after losing the Wild Card game to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bryan Price replaced him as the Reds pitching coach.

2013: Departure from Cincinnati

Dusty Baker's tenure with the Cincinnati Reds ended in 2013, leading to his new role as manager for the Washington Nationals in 2016.

2014: Bruce Bochy manages the Giants to the World Series title

In 2014, Bruce Bochy managing the Giants to World Series titles.

November 3, 2015: Named Nationals Manager

On November 3, 2015, Dusty Baker was named the new manager for the Washington Nationals for the 2016 season, marking his return to managing after being fired by Cincinnati in 2013.

2015: TBS Studio Analyst

In 2015, Baker joined TBS as a studio analyst for the final two weeks of the regular season coverage and for their coverage of the National League playoffs.

2016: First Season as Nationals Manager

In 2016, Dusty Baker managed his first season with the Washington Nationals, after being named as their manager on November 3, 2015.

October 20, 2017: Departure from Nationals

On October 20, 2017, the Washington Nationals announced that Dusty Baker and his coaching staff would not return for the 2018 season.

2018: Baker's Departure from Nationals

In 2018, Dusty Baker did not return as the manager for the Washington Nationals, following the announcement on October 20, 2017.

January 13, 2020: Astros Manager Job Opening

On January 13, 2020, the manager's job for the Houston Astros became available after A.J. Hinch was fired in the wake of the Astros sign stealing scandal.

July 28, 2020: Astros Pick up Baker's Option

On July 28, 2020, four days after the shortened season started, the Houston Astros picked up the 2021 option on Dusty Baker's contract.

2020: Dave Roberts wins World Series

In 2020, Dave Roberts joined Cito Gaston and Dusty Baker by managing the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series and winning championships.

2020: Finalist for Phillies Job

In 2020, Dusty Baker was one of the finalists for the Philadelphia Phillies managerial position but the job went to Joe Girardi.

November 5, 2021: Baker Agrees to Manage Astros for 2022

On November 5, 2021, Jim Crane announced that Dusty Baker had agreed to a one-year extension to manage the Houston Astros for the 2022 season.

2021: Astros Option Pick Up

In 2021, Dusty Baker's contract option with the Houston Astros, picked up on July 28, 2020, was in effect.

May 3, 2022: Earns 2,000th Win as Manager

On May 3, 2022, Dusty Baker achieved his 2,000th win as manager with a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners at home in Minute Maid Park, becoming the twelfth manager and first African American manager to reach the milestone.

2022: World Series win with Astros

In 2022, Dusty Baker won the World Series as the manager of the Houston Astros.

January 18, 2024: Giants Special Advisor Role

On January 18, 2024, Baker agreed to a third stint with the Giants in the front office, this time as a Special Advisor to Baseball Operations.

July 2025: Named Manager of Nicaragua National Baseball Team

In July 2025, Dusty Baker was announced as the manager of the Nicaragua national baseball team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

2025: Last Reds Manager with a Winning Record as of 2025

In 2013, Dusty Baker finished his tenure with the Reds as the first full-time manager since Jack McKeon to have a winning record and remains the last Reds manager with a winning record as of 2025.

2026: World Baseball Classic

At the 2026 WBC, Nicaragua, managed by Baker, went winless and was forced to requalify. They nearly upset the Netherlands but lost on a walk-off homer. Baker defended his strategy during the game.

2026: Named manager of Team Nicaragua

In 2026, Dusty Baker was named the manager of Team Nicaragua for the World Baseball Classic.

2026: Manage Nicaragua in 2026 World Baseball Classic

In July 2025, Dusty Baker accepted the job as manager for the Nicaragua national baseball team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

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