Nationals Announce Manager Dusty Baker Will Not Return Next Year

The Nationals on Friday announced Dusty Baker will "not return" as manager in '18. Baker led the Nationals to the "first back-to-back division titles in team history" but failed to advance past the NLDS. Baker joined the Nationals in '16 by signing a two-year deal worth $4M that he "felt was below market value, and seemed likely to garner a raise on his next deal with the team." But that deal "never materialized" and the two sides "didn't even negotiate" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/20).

Meanwhile, sources said that Astros bench coach Alex Cora's deal to manage the Red Sox "will be for three years" (TWITTER.com, 10/21). However, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski "did not respond for comment" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/22).