Dusty Baker rejoined the Giants organization in his current role of special advisor to baseball operations in January 2024 following his successful managerial stint of the Houston Astros from 2020-2023 that saw him guide Houston to a World Championship in 2022. It’s the second stint as a special advisor for Baker who also served in this role from 2018-2019 before going to Houston.
The three-time National League Manager of the Year currently stands as the eighth-winningest manager in AL/NL history. Overall, he managed 26 seasons and posted a 2,183-1,862 (.540) managerial record with the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-06), Cincinnati Reds (2008-13), Washington Nationals (2016-17) and Houston Astros (2020-2023). Baker guided 13 Postseason teams, including 10 division championships (San Francisco, 1997 and 2000; Chicago, 2003; Cincinnati, 2010 and 2012; Washington, 2016 and 2017 and Houston, 2021-2023), and three wild card appearances (San Francisco, 2002; Cincinnati, 2013). He’s the only manager in Major League history to lead five different franchises to a division title.
Baker’s coaching career started as a first base coach for the San Francisco Giants in 1988 and he then spent the following four years (1989–92) as the hitting coach before he was named manager in 1993. In his very first year as Giants manager, he won the 1993 NL Manager of the Year award, leading the team to a 103–59 record, which was the second-best record in baseball that year. His Giants teams went on to win division titles in 1997 and 2000 and the National League pennant in 2002. His 840 wins with San Francisco rank third-most in team history behind Bruce Bochy (1,052) and Hall of Famer John McGraw (2,583).
A career .278 hitter, Baker played 19 seasons in the big leagues and compiled 242 home runs, 320 doubles, 23 triples, and 1,013 RBI. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice (1980 and 1981), and from 1980-82 he hit .303, averaging 20 home runs, 20 doubles and 78 RBI a year while earning two Silver Slugger Awards, a Gold Glove, and two All-Star selections. He won a World Series as a player with the Dodgers in 1981.
Baker resides in Sacramento, CA with his wife, Melissa, and has two children, Natosha and Darren. He is a 1967 graduate of Del Campo High School (Carmichael, CA) and he attended American River College (Sacramento, CA). Baker was inducted into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and the California Black Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2015, he was enshrined in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.