The Washington Nationals named Dusty Baker as manager Tuesday, a month after firing Matt Williams following a disappointing season that began with championship aspirations.
Baker, 66, is a three-time National League Manager of the Year (1993, 1997, 2000) and the 17th-winningest manager in baseball history. He is the franchise’s sixth manager in its 11-year history.
“We were looking for a manager to help us achieve our ultimate goal of competing for a World Series championship,” said Nats owner Ted Lerner. “During our broad search process we met with many qualified candidates, and ultimately it was clear that Dusty’s deep experience was the best fit for our ballclub.”
Williams, who guided the team to a 96-66 record and the NL East crown in 2014, was fired after the Nationals began August atop the division but faded badly down the stretch and missed the postseason.