DUSTY BAKER

If the universal designated hitter returns to the National League for good next season as many people believe, don’t be looking for the role to be filled with prototypical aging superstars who no longer play a position.

Dusty Baker will return as manager of the Houston Astros for a third season after agreeing to a one-year contract with the AL champions.

Atlanta’s 7-0 victory over Houston in Game 6 to win the World Series could mark the end of an era for the Astros.

Carlos Correa stood on the steps of the dugout watching as Yuli Gurriel grounded out to end Game 6 of the World Series before slowly walking away and heading into Houston's clubhouse for what could be the last time. Atlanta’s 7-0 win over the Astros to win the World Series on Tuesday night could mark the end of an era in Houston. After losing Gerrit Cole and George Springer in free agency the last two years, Houston now faces the distinct possibility that Correa will soon be gone, too.

The Atlanta Braves have won their first World Series championship since 1995, hammering the Houston Astros 7-0 in Game 6.

Late innings means late nights in the World Series, with many fans struggling to stay awake as the Braves and Astros play baseball’s most important games of the year.

The Atlanta Braves lead the World Series three games to two and will try to win the championship Tuesday night when Max Fried starts against the Astros in Houston.

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker appreciates his star players.

Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros broke out the bats just in time to extend this World Series.

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Hall of Famer Greg Maddux threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Sunday night’s Game 5 of the World Series. Maddux, wearing his Braves jersey, tipped his cap in response to an ovation from fans as he walked onto the field. Fittingly, he threw the pitch to Eddie Perez, who was often his designated catcher.

Game 5 of the World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves might have represented a historic moment for Major League Baseball.

Grinning the whole time, Zack Greinke slipped into his Astros warmup jacket, joked with Freddie Freeman and got a friendly pat from the Atlanta star first baseman. Because after Game 5 of the World Series, they could become almost extinct. There’s a good chance Major League Baseball will bring the designated hitter to the National League next year — likely forever.

Time and time again, the Houston Astros put runners on base.

Atlanta's Dylan Lee became the first pitcher to make his first big league start in the World Series.

The Houston Astros are still waiting for all their stars to break loose after a 2-0 loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the World Series.

Rookie starter Ian Anderson and the Braves' bullpen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Austin Riley and Travis d’Arnaud drove in runs and Atlanta beat the Houston Astros 2-0 to grab a two games to one lead in the World Series.

Game 3 of the World Series will be a bit of a throwback to the days before interleague play and players frequently changing teams.

Beloved baseball lifer Ron Washington is finally getting another shot at a World Series title.

Rookie Jose Siri sparked a team whose biggest stars took a while to shine, sending the Houston Astros to a 7-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves that evened the World Series at one game apiece.

The Houston Astros are in the World Series for the third time in five years.

Lance McCullers won't pitch in the World Series for the Houston Astros because of his forearm strain.

When Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves meet Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros, it will be a World Series that's been six decades in the making.

Two years after winning an AL Rookie of the Year Award, Yordan Alvarez has an AL Championship Series MVP to add to his trophy case.

Rookie Luis García showed the poise of an October ace, MVP Yordan Alvarez stayed hot at the plate and the Houston Astros earned yet another trip to the World Series, beating the Boston Red Sox 5-0 in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series.

Freddie Freeman and the Braves get another chance to earn a trip to the World Series when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series on Saturday night.

Astros rookie Luis García will start against the Red Sox in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series with a trip to the World Series on the line.

Astros rookie Luis García will start against the Red Sox in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series with a trip to the World Series on the line.

Rookie Luis García will start for the Houston Astros against the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series with a trip to the World Series on the line.

In the only playoff game of the night Thursday, the Atlanta Braves can win their first pennant in 22 years with a victory in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.

Framber Valdez gave the Houston Astros the start they were looking for.

In a postseason already marked by curious pitching strategy, Julio Urías returns to his regular role in the rotation when the Los Angeles Dodgers play Atlanta in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series.

Dusty Baker is happy to stay out of the latest kerfuffle over players showing up each other on the field.

Houston’s pitching staff will need to adjust quickly after allowing 25 runs and 32 hits to Boston in the first three games of the AL Championship Series, a barrage that made the loss of injured Lance McCullers Jr. seem acute.

Houston's pitching staff will need to adjust quickly after allowing 25 runs and 32 hits to Boston in the first three games of the AL Championship Series, a barrage that made the loss of injured Lance McCullers Jr. seem acute. Kyle Schwarber hit Boston’s third grand slam in an 11-inning span, a drive off starter José Urquidy as part of a six-run second inning in Monday night's 12-3 rout that gave the Red Sox a 2-1 series lead. Boston hit four home runs, raising its total to nine off Astros pitching, which has a 7.96 ERA.

Kyle Schwarber's grand slam helped the Red Sox rout the Houston Astros 12-3 take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series.

Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are the dynamic duo leading the Houston Astros in another long playoff run.

The Dodgers are ready to start ace Max Scherzer in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta, a day after manager Dave Roberts scratched the veteran right-hander to get him an extra day of rest.

The Boston Red Sox became the first team to slug two grand slams in a postseason game, with J.

Dodgers ace Max Scherzer got the last three outs in the thrilling Game 5 of the NL Divsion Series and is now lined up to throw the first pitch for Los Angeles in the NL Championship Series.

Astros ace Lance McCullers Jr. has been left off the team’s roster for the AL Championship Series against Boston, a huge blow to a team looking to advance to the World Series for the second time in three seasons.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora will look to take down his former team in the AL Championship Series for the second time in four years after beating the Houston Astros on the way to a World Series title in 2018.

After a season of piling up whopping win totals, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers get a day to prep for their all-or-nothing matchup in Game 5 of the NL Division Series.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa is waiting to find out if Chicago wants him back after the club was eliminated by the Astros in their AL Division Series that ended Tuesday night.

Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer and scored four times, and the Houston Astros eliminated the Chicago White Sox with a 10-1 victory in Game 4 of their AL Division Series.

The Houston Astros have found themselves in familiar territory, brushing aside comments by Chicago White Sox reliever Ryan Tepera after he implied they stole signs while winning the first two games of the AL Division Series in their ballpark.

Leury García and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Grandal’s borderline baserunning helped the Chicago White Sox top the Houston Astros 12-6 to stay alive in their AL Division Series.

Two septuagenarians will be on the bench when 77-year-old Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa and the Chicago White Sox face the Houston Astros and 72-year-old skipper Dusty Baker in their playoff opener Thursday.

Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa is back in the playoffs with the Chicago White Sox as they prepare to open their best-of-five AL Division Series on Thursday against the Houston Astros.

The 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers put their season on the line in the NL wild-card game against the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals.

Carlos Correa is preparing for what could be his final run with the Houston Astros.

The 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers put their season on the line in the NL wild-card game against the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals.

The pairings for the baseball playoffs are all set.

AL batting champion Yuli Gurriel hit a winning RBI single in the ninth inning, and the AL West champion Houston Astros headed to the postseason with a 7-6 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gurriel hit .319 and became Houston’s second player to win a batting title after Jose Altuve in 2014, ’16 and ’17.

Matt Olson and Chad Pinder each homered and the Oakland Athletics beat Houston 8-6 Friday night, cutting the Astros’ edge for home-field advantage in the AL playoffs. Houston leads the White Sox by one game for home field in their best-of-five Division Series matchup next week. The AL West champion Astros also own the tiebreaker after going 5-2 against AL Central champion Chicago this season.

Carlos Correa hit his career-high 25th homer with a three-run shot and the Houston Astros clinched the AL West with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Houston Astros walked off to end a wild ninth-inning rally against the Tampa Bay Rays, moving closer to securing a postseason berth. The party will have to wait one more day at least, with the Seattle Mariners stubbornly sticking around. Rays reliever JT Chargois walked two Houston batters with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, propelling the Astros to a 4-3 win that snapped a four-game skid.

This time, the calls went Shohei Ohtani's way. Ohtani came home on Jack Mayfield's two-run double Thursday night and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Houston Astros 3-2 to snap a six-game losing streak. The two-way star from Japan tried to score the winning run during Wednesday's 9-5 loss to Houston in 12 innings, but was called out after a perfect throw from right fielder Chas McCormick.

Jose Siri and Chas McCormick hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning, rallying the AL West-leading Houston Astros over the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 on Sunday. Carlos Correa also homered as the Astros held their comfortable division lead over Oakland. Houston won for the fourth time in five games and cut Tampa Bay’s lead for the best record in the AL to 3 ½ games.

Carlos Correa drove in the winning run in the 10th inning after Alex Bregman tied the game in the ninth, and the Houston Astros rallied past the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Tuesday night. Correa greeted Yohan Ramirez (1-3) with a ground-rule double to right-center, scoring Yuli Gurriel, who started the inning at second. “It was an important outing for us knowing that they have been playing great baseball,” Correa said.