Dusty Baker kicking the Houston Astros while they're down is pure cinema

The Houston Astros 2024 season fell short of expectations, losing to the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild Card round. This comes just one year after Houston lost to the Texas Rangers in seven games in the ALCS. Could Houston's era of dominance finally be ending?

After the 2023 season, the Astros parted ways with longtime manager Dusty Baker, who led Houston out of the sign-stealing scandal and into the spotlight, which included a World Series win in 2022. By no means perfect, Baker was a stabilizing force the Astros desperately needed at the time, as their legitimacy was questioned by just about every baseball outlet for good reason.

Dusty Baker still isn't thrilled about how it all ended with Astros

Baker was unceremoniously blamed by much of the fanbase for the Astros falling short in 2023. After the front office opted to part ways with him, Baker had a right to feel slighted, though he has since taken a role in the San Francisco Giants organization.

"Some of the battles with the front office I've had for a number of years, sometimes you get tired of fighting city hall on something you're sure about," Baker said. "The one thing that kind of bothered me a little bit is I only chose one person on my staff ... That was A.J. Hinch's staff, everybody there but one guy. We had a [blueprint] on how to win, but I wish I coulda had more freedom in choosing my staff."

Yeah, Dusty still holds a grudge, and he has a point. While that Astros staff knew how to win, they were also caught cheating! Hinch had to go, but why was the rest of the coaching staff seemingly blameless? Even so, though, Baker's Astros won a World Series together. Now, that same Houston core could be coming apart at the seams.

Astros dynastic run could be nearing its conclusion

Alex Bregman is just the latest longtime Astro to hit free agency, and while GM Dana Brown hasn't entirely given up on keeping the former All-Star third baseman, the odds aren't in Houston's favor.

“That weighs heavily,” Brown said. “But ultimately, we will have some discussions with [agent Scott] Boras and also Bregman. We’ve had some small talk. But ultimately, we’ll have some discussions. We know what he means to this organization.”

Second baseman Jose Altuve has made it known that he doesn't think the Astros can afford to lose Bregman. He's a vital member of a dynastic run which includes multiple World Series and five pennants. That won't be easy to replicate with a new core in place.

Baker was the first to go, but Houston's best days might be behind them.