Dusty Baker will manage Nicaragua at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the Nicaragua national baseball team announced on Monday.
Baker, 76, is the eighth-winningest manager in MLB history and one of just 13 managers with over 2,000 wins. A three-time NL Manager of the Year, Baker spent 26 seasons at the helm of five different big league teams -- the Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals, and Astros -- leading each club to a division title. He announced his retirement as a manager following the 2023 season.
With Baker at the helm, Nicaragua will compete in its second WBC tournament, following a 19th-place finish in 2023. In February, Nicaragua clinched a spot in the 2026 WBC thanks to a perfect 3-0 record in the Qualifier tournament.
Nicaragua will play in Pool D at the 2026 World Baseball Classic alongside Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, and Israel. Pool D is scheduled to play from March 6-11 at loanDepot park in Miami, the home of the Marlins. The top two teams will advance to the quarterfinals to compete against the top two finishers from Pool C.