5 potential replacements for Dusty Baker as Astros manager

News broke last night that 2023 was Dusty Baker's final year as Astros manager. If that's true, let's look at five potential replacements for Dusty moving forward.

Championship Series - Texas Rangers v Houston Astros - Game Six
Championship Series - Texas Rangers v Houston Astros - Game Six | Bob Levey/GettyImages
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Don Kelly

Don Kelly would probably be the least known name on this list, but he'll be a manager in no time.

Kelly actually has some ties to Houston. He was their first base coach in 2019, when the Astros assembled one of the best baseball teams ever seen.

Before becoming a base coach, Kelly worked in player development for the Tigers. He's been the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates since the 2020 season, and has been attracting interest as a managerial candidate ever since.

Kelly, like Lombard (and A.J. Hinch before his Houston tenure), would bring a blend of front office experience and time in the dugout.

As the Astros have moved away from analytics more under Dusty Baker, the hire of Kelly would be a step in the right direction, moving back towards a more forward thinking organization.

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