Report: Nationals hope to re-sign Baker to 2-year deal
The Washington Nationals may not have been successful in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday, recording just two hits in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Chicago Cubs, but the organization seems intent on retaining manager Dusty Baker beyond this year.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo hopes to re-sign Baker to a two-year deal in the offseason, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Baker's contract - originally a two-year pact - expires at the end of the season and although he's won back-to-back division titles, he still hasn't received an extension despite receiving praise from Rizzo.
"Dusty's a Hall of Fame manager. He's a guy who's done a great job for two years for us here. He deserves to manage the Washington Nationals again," Rizzo said on MLB Network Radio in September. "He's a guy that's endeared himself to me. We respect each other and I respect him to the utmost. And a guy who has done everything he needs to do to manage in the future."
Baker isn't interested in leaving either, not until he at least wins a World Series.
"Why not? This is what I came here for," Baker told Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post in June. "I didn't come for two years. I came to win back-to-back titles."
The Nationals are 192-132 under Baker and will square off against the Cubs in Game 2 of the series Saturday.