As Dusty Baker officially ended one notable chapter in his illustrious career, he said Thursday he feels an obligation to do more around the game with his next one.
Baker, 74, confirmed his retirement at a news conference following his fourth season managing the Houston Astros, who came one win shy of reaching the World Series for a third straight year with a loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.
“I would first like to say thank you to [Astros owner] Jim Crane and family for giving me this opportunity over the last four years,” Baker said Thursday. “It has been a tremendous honor to be the leader of this ballclub. Thank you to the fans for their unwavering passion. The amount of love I’ve received in my time in Houston has been unmatched.
“Thank you to all my players and coaches for their many sacrifices on our multiple pursuits to a World Series title. You all gave me all you had every day, and that’s all I can ever ask for. Lastly, I want to say thank you to all my friends and family. I have immense gratitude for all of the love and support you have shown me throughout the years, and I can’t say thank you enough. This isn’t a goodbye, it’s simply a ‘see you later.'”
Congratulations Dusty on an incredible managerial career ?
Baker ranks seventh with 2,183 wins, and all eligible managers with 2,000 wins are in the Hall of Fame. He became the first Black manager to reach that milestone and would be the first inducted into Cooperstown.
He compiled a record of 2,183-1,862 (with one tie) across 4,046 games on the bench for the Giants (1993-2002), Cubs (2003-06), Reds (2008-13), Nationals (2016-17) and Astros (2020-23). He is the only manager to lead five different teams to division titles and was the National League Manager of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 2000.
His Astros won the AL West for the third straight season in 2023. In 2022, the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win the World Series.
“It was probably the quickest four years I ever spent in my life,” Baker said. “But that’s what happens when you’re winning. When you’re losing, three or four years can feel like a decade.”
Baker helped restore luster to a franchise embarrassed by a sign-stealing scandal that ultimately led to suspensions for general manager Jeff Luhnow, manager AJ Hinch and bench coach Alex Cora.
“When we hired Dusty four seasons ago, we felt that he was the right person to guide this club during a tumultuous time — and we were right,” Crane said. “The success we’ve had under Dusty on the field is obvious, and the impact that he has had on our players, our organization and within our community has been tremendous. Dusty is a Hall of Famer as a manager, but more importantly, he is a Hall of Fame person. It has been an honor to have him as our manager.”
Baker began managing in 1993 after a 19-year playing career as an outfielder. The two-time All-Star played with Hank Aaron on the Atlanta Braves and won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.
Baker said Thursday that attending Aaron’s funeral in 2021 was an eye-opening experience for him.
“All these people were talking about how Hank had contributed and helped out their college education and affected this life and that life,” Baker said. “I came back home and told my wife, ‘I don’t feel like I’ve done anything.’
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I know it’s going to be good, whatever it is. I believe that.”
Baker also played with the Giants (1984) and Oakland A’s (1985-86) during his career, compiling 1,981 hits with 242 homers and 1,013 RBIs in 2,039 games.
He wore his World Series ring on Thursday and said he hasn’t worn his 1981 Dodgers ring in a while because “it hasn’t fit in 30 years.”
“I was kind of mad at the world when I got through playing,” Baker said. “Like a lot of African-Americans and Latin players, there aren’t jobs, really. I was going to go home. And then my dad told me, ‘After all the people you’ve met, it’s not up to you to take with you and possess what they gave you. It’s up to you to pass it on to somebody else.’ That’s what I’ve tried to do.”
Baker said he feels like he has unfinished business around baseball.
“I haven’t made my mind yet on what I’m going to do, but I’m going to go home to talk to my daughter, who thinks she’s my mother, and spend some time with my grandkids and let the Lord tell me where to go and what to do with my life,” Baker said. “I still feel like I haven’t done what I’m supposed to do in life, so I believe the Lord has some great things ahead for me.”
Houston has the sixth manager opening of the offseason after Cleveland, the New York Mets, San Diego, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Angels. Only the Giants have filled the vacancy, hiring Bob Melvin from the Padres.
“We’ll work on it quickly,” Crane said. “[General manager Dana Brown] and I will do the work and we’ll find someone. It’ll be tough to replace Dusty, but we’ll work fast to get somebody in place.”
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — NASCAR Xfinity Series points leader Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone after a hard fall in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International.
After his series-leading sixth victory, Zilisch was climbing onto the roof of his No. 88 Chevrolet to celebrate. He slipped after apparently getting his left foot caught in the driver’s side window netting and tumbled awkwardly onto the asphalt.
Zilisch, 19, was taken on a backboard to the trackside medical center and then transported to a hospital for further evaluation. He posted on X about two hours later that he had a broken collarbone and that CT scans showed no head injury.
“Thank you everybody for reaching out today,” Zilisch posted. “I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.”
Thank you everybody for reaching out today. I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankfully, CT scans for my head are clear, I just have a broken collarbone. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.❤️
Zilisch will not be available for the Cup race Sunday at Watkins Glen. After racing in the Truck and Xfinity Series the past two days at the road course, he was scheduled to complete a tripleheader by making his fourth Cup start this season for Trackhouse Racing.
The scary incident capped an eventful day for Zilisch, who drives for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team.
After starting from the pole position, Zilisch wrecked teammate Shane van Gisbergen’s car while battling for the lead on Lap 65. After being bumped from the lead to fifth on a restart, Zilisch retook first and led the final four laps.
“He did such a great job of getting back through the field and getting the lead,” crew chief Mardy Lindley told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after the race. “Praying for Connor right now that he’s OK. I think he’s going to be fine.”
Zilisch missed a race earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway after suffering a back injury during a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. He has 11 consecutive top-five finishes and five wins since his return.
Right-hander Luis Severino, who recently has pitched like the high-priced free agent the Athletics signed in the offseason, was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday because of a left oblique strain.
The move is retroactive to Wednesday.
The A’s called up left-hander Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding transaction.
Severino signed a $67 million, three-year contract in December with the A’s, but he can opt out after next season. It was largest-ever contract for the typically low-spending A’s, though they since made other similar deals with Brent Rooker ( $60 million over five years ) and Lawrence Butler ( $65.5 million over seven years ) in anticipation of their scheduled move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Unless he agrees to an extension, the 31-year-old Severino likely won’t be part of those plans.
He started slow this season, but in his past five starts went 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings. That improved his record to 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA.
ATLANTA — Jen Pawol felt love and support from fans, family, peers and players as she made history as the first female umpire to work a regular-season game in the major leagues.
“It was amazing when we took the field,” Pawol said. “It seemed like quite a few people were clapping and calling my name. That was pretty intense and emotional.”
Pawol’s much-anticipated debut came as the first base umpire for Saturday’s first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. It was a smooth debut.
“She did a good job,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You can tell she knows what she does.”
Pawol said she had a group of about 30 friends and family members, including her father, at the game and she immediately identified a major difference of working in a major league stadium. Those familiar faces were not so easy to find at Truist Park.
“When I looked up they weren’t in the lower tier like in the minor leagues,” Pawol said. “When I looked up it took me a while. Whoa, they’re up there! I’ll never forget that. That was just awesome.
“The dream actually came true today. I’m still living in it. I’m so grateful to my family and Major League Baseball for creating such an incredible work environment … I’m just so thankful.”
Pawol’s first real test came in the third inning of Atlanta’s 7-1 win when she called Braves catcher Sean Murphy safe on a close play. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough did not challenge the call.
Pawol also showed she will make animated calls. When Miami’s Xavier Edwards grounded into a double play in the third inning, Pawol pumped her fist and lifted her leg when she called Edwards out.
Pawol couldn’t help but notice her debut was being watched closely. Fans responded with a warm ovation when the video board focused on the umpire between innings, forcing her to take a quick glance at her image.
After the game, Pawol donated the hat she wore during her historic debut to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A landmark day for women in baseball and another Diamond Dream achieved.
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 9, 2025
Pawol was scheduled to work third base in Saturday night’s second game of the doubleheader. She will be in the spotlight when she calls pitches behind the plate in Sunday’s final game of the series. As a rover, she’ll then be waiting for her next assignment.
While she waits, the umpire cap she wore in her first game will be on the way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“This is one of the proudest moments in all my career,” crew chief Chris Guccione said. “I’ve been blessed with working playoffs, I’ve worked two World Series, All-Star games, and this is right up there. It gives me chills even thinking about it. And the magnitude, it just hit me just now the magnitude of this thing and how hard she’s worked.
“This is just a great role model for girls and women out there and I’m just so proud of her. This is a special moment. I’m so proud of her.”
There was much anticipation for her historic debut on Saturday. A crowd of photographers gathered while waiting for the umpires to walk onto the field from their entry ramp near the Marlins dugout.
McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol when lineups were exchanged at home plate before the game. Pawol then jogged down the first base line. She shook hands with Marlins first base coach Tyler Smarslok before taking her position on the right field line for the first pitch.
Pawol said Thursday she was “overcome with emotion” when notified she would make her Major League Baseball debut this weekend.
Pawol, 48, has been working in the minor leagues since she was assigned to the Gulf Coast League in 2016. She was assigned the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and worked spring training games in 2024 and again this year.
“Anytime anybody grinds their way through the minor leagues, I don’t care who it is, that’s a tough thing,” Snitker said. “I’m happy for anybody who grinds it out.”
Asked if she is prepared for a confrontation with a manager upset about a call, including some known to kick dirt onto umpires, Pawol said it wouldn’t be the first time.
“More than dozens of times,” she said. “It doesn’t go very well for him. The night is usually over for him. It’s just part of the game.”
Pawol, who is from New Jersey, had only a few days to prepare for Saturday’s doubleheader. She said she was told of her long-awaited promotion during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry.
Pawol was a three-time all-conference softball selection pick at Hofstra. She worked as an NCAA softball umpire from 2010-16.
Pawol’s rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official. The men’s soccer World Cup first hired a female referee three years ago. The NHL has not had any women as on-ice officials.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
