Reds fire Dusty Baker

The Cincinnati Reds fired Dusty Baker on Friday, parting ways with the manager who led them to their best stretch of success since the Big Red Machine but couldn’t get them past the first round of the postseason. The move came after the Reds lost the wild-card playoff in Pittsburgh 6-2 on Tuesday night, ending the season with their sixth straight loss. He had a year left on his two-year deal. The final-week fade was a major factor in the decision, general manager Walt Jocketty said in a phone interview. “Just the way we played lately was a factor,” Jocketty said. “But I think the way the season ended was kind of the final decision. The last six games certainly played a big part in this.”

Associated Press