Dusty Baker won't return as Nationals manager

ByABC News
October 20, 2017, 1:19 PM

— -- Dusty Baker will not return as the Washington Nationals' manager in 2018, the team announced Friday.

Baker led the Nationals to the postseason in each of his two seasons with the club but couldn't get past the National League Division Series.

"This was an incredibly difficult decision for us. Dusty Baker led the team to the first back-to-back division titles in our history and represented our club with class on and off the field," the team's ownership wrote in an open letter. "... We thank him for the successes that we enjoyed together over the last two years. We wish him nothing but the best going forward."

Baker's contract expired at the end of this season. The contracts for the rest of the coaching staff also expired.

The moves come the week after Washington was eliminated from its NL Division Series against the Chicago Cubs with a 9-8 loss at home in Game 5. The Nationals also were bounced from the postseason in the NLDS round in 2016 -- also with a Game 5 loss at home by one run, that time against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Before the series against the Cubs, Baker was asked about his possible future in Washington.

"I've given some thought to some things, but we were told that we were waiting until after the season to make a determination," he said at the time. "There's a good chance I'll be back."

He had expected negotiations to pick up after the season ended.

The Nationals were 192-132 under Baker while winning their first back-to-back division titles in team history. His .593 winning percentage was the best in Nationals franchise history for a manger who led the team for at least one full season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.?

In all, the 68-year-old has spent 22 seasons as a big league manager, accumulating more than 1,800 regular-season wins with the San Francisco Giants, Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Nationals.

He was a player in the majors for 19 years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.