Dusty Baker agrees to short-term deal with Houston Astros to become manager

Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Former Washington Nationals skipper Dusty Baker agreed to a short-term deal with the Houston Astros to become the club's next manager.

League sources told ESPN and USA Today Sports on Wednesday that Baker and the Astros reached a one-year agreement. The contract also includes a team option for the 2021 season.

Baker, 70, will become the oldest manager in Major League Baseball in the upcoming season. He last managed the Nationals in 2017 and ranks 15th in all-time victories with a 1,863-1,636 record across 22 seasons.

Since the 2018 season, Baker has served as a special adviser to San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer. Baker, a three-time National League Manager of the Year, worked in both the baseball and business operations of the franchise.

During Baker's managerial career, he guided the Giants (1993-2002) to an 840-715 overall record and the NL pennant in 2002. He then spent four seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2003-06) and six seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (2008-13) before a two-year stint in Washington (2016-17).

If Baker were to lead the Astros to the playoffs this season, he would become the first manager in MLB history to guide five different clubs to the postseason.

Baker will replace A.J. Hinch, who was fired along with general manager Jeff Luhnow on Jan. 13 after a league investigation discovered the Astros cheated during the regular season and postseason of their World Series-winning 2017 campaign. According to MLB, the Astros used an illegal camera-based system to steal signs of opposing teams.

Before being fired, Hinch and Luhnow were suspended for one season as a result of the league's investigation. The Astros were also fined $5 million and forced to forfeit multiple draft picks.