HOUSTON – After guiding the Astros to 95 regular season victories and the American League pennant, Dusty Baker was selected as the 2021 Manager of the Year by Baseball America.
Baker, who finished third in the American League Manager of the Year voting by the North American Writers Association (BBWAA), became the first manager in Major League history to win division titles with five different teams, when the Astros were made of the West Division of the American League. He is the ninth manager in history to win pennants in both the National and American leagues.
Baker is the third Astros helmsman to win the Baseball America award, joining Larry Dierker (1998) and AJ Hinch (2017). Baker also won it with the Giants in 2000. Baker, who signed a one-year contract extension with the Astros last month, led the club to the World Series before falling to the Braves in six games.
Although Houston was plagued with injuries – including the loss of ace Justin Verlander for the year after Tommy John surgery and Alex Bregman for 59 games with a strained left quadriceps – Baker led the Astros to the second-best record. in the American League.
The Astros have made the playoffs in both seasons with Baker at the helm. In 2020, he led the team to the American League Championship Series, where they lost to the Rays.
Baker was named BBWAA Manager of the Year with the Giants in 1993, 1997 and 2000. He finished the 2021 campaign with 1,978 career wins; the 12th most in history, with 10 of the 11 leaders who surpass him being in the Hall of Fame. The only one who has not been immortalized is Bruce Bochy, who is not yet eligible.
Baker will start 2022 with a chance to top Bochy (2,003), Leo Durocher (2,008) and Walter Alston (2,040) on the all-time list.
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Baker, Manager of the Year (Baseball America)