In a twist of fate, Dusty Baker was announced as the new manager of the Washington Nationals. He will be the sixth manager in the history of the franchise.
The announcement comes as a surprise to many, as Bud Black was reportedly set to take over the clubs managing duties last week, but Black and the Nats were unable to agree to contract terms.
This left the window open for Baker, which quite honestly is the best move for Washington. Health issues aside, Baker is well-respected in baseball and a proven winner with a career record of 1671-1504 over 20 seasons. His hiring helps MLB avoid the dishonorable distinction of having 0 African-American managers to begin the season in 2016. That’s something that hasn’t happened since 1987.
