Former Chicago Cubs Manager Set for Full-Circle Moment as Son Joins Majors

Dusty Baker hasn’t managed the Chicago Cubs in a while, but it’s fitting how his son will make his MLB debut.

Rochester's Darren Baker slides safely home ahead of the throw to Buffalo catcher Stevie Berman, scoring on a double by teammate Jack Dunn in the second inning. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Dusty Baker hasn’t managed the Chicago Cubs since 2006. But his son, Darren, strolled around Wrigley Field in the summers hoping, one day, he would get his chance to play like his father did.

Well, on Sunday, that chance is coming and it will come against one of dad’s former teams.

It’s fitting that Darren Baker will make his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals against the Cubs, two teams that his father managed at one time.

Nats Talk reported on Saturday that the 25-year-old infielder would be called up to Washington when rosters expanded. If he plays on Sunday, it will be his first MLB game.

Darren Baker earned the call-up in his fourth professional season, as he’s spent the entire season with Triple-A Rochester playing second base. He’s slashed .285/.348/.340/.688 with 20 doubles, two triples and 49 RBI. He doesn’t have his father’s pop at the plate, but he was red-hot in August, as he batted .337 and had a 16-game hitting streak.

The Nationals are looking at 2025 and have a bevy of young, talented players on the roster, including James Wood and Dylan Crews, who have taken turns as the Nationals’ No. 1 prospect this year.

Darren Baker was a 10th-round pick by the Nationals in 2021 out of California, which is fitting as his father was managing the San Francisco Giants when he was born.

Dusty Baker joined the Cubs after he left the Giants following the 2002 season, which ended with San Francisco losing the World Series.

He and the Cubs immediately contended in his first season, as they won 88 games and reached the National League Championship Series, where they lost to the Miami (then Florida) Marlins, who went on to win the World Series.

The Cubs actually won one more game in 2004 but finished third in the NL Central. The following two seasons the Cubs were under .500 and he was let go after Chicago went 66-96 in 2006.

In three seasons in Chicago, he went 322-326.

Dusty Baker is headed for the Baseball Hall of Fame when he’s eligible. He is one of a handful of managers with more than 2,000 career wins. He finished his career as 2,183-1,862. He’s also one of a few that have World Series rings as players and managers.  

While he won the most games of his career with San Francisco (840), he won his World Series as a manager with the Houston Astros in 2022. He retired after last season and became a special assistant with the Giants.