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The Nationals have decided to fire manager Dusty Baker, as the team announced Friday.
Baker, 68, led the Nationals to plenty of regular-season success over his two years in Washington, as they won 95 games in 2016 and 97 in 2017, winning the NL East in both seasons. In both seasons, however, the Nationals suffered 3-2 losses in the NLDS, still leaving the franchise without a playoff series win since it moved from Montreal prior to the 2005 season.
Baker is the fourth straight Nationals manager who has failed to last longer than two seasons, following Jim Riggleman, Davey Johnson, and Matt Williams. As they prepare for their 14th season in Washington, the Nationals will be looking for their seventh manager.
Anything is possible with the Mets, Red Sox, and Phillies still looking for managers, but it certainly looks like Baker’s managerial career might be complete after 22 seasons with the Giants, Cubs, Reds, and Nationals. He has a 1,863-1,636 record but has reached the World Series just once over that period, leading the Giants to an NL pennant in 2002.