Baseball

HOUSTON (AP) — As Dusty Baker officially ended one notable chapter in his illustrious career, he said Thursday he feels an obligation to do more around the game with his next one.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Just a year removed from a stirring run to the NL Championship Series that captivated a championship-starved fan base, general manager A.J. Preller of the big-spending San Diego Padres has to hire a new manager yet again.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have played only four home games over the past month, and lost all three in the AL Championship Series.

HOUSTON (AP) — Dusty Baker has retired as manager of the Houston Astros, ending an illustrious 26-year career as a big league skipper highlighted by a World Series win last season. Baker broke the news in an interview with USA Today .

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi will start Game 1 of the World Series for the Texas Rangers on Friday night against Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Scherzer has a cut on the thumb of his pitching hand that he doesn't think will hinder him from playing in the World Series.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves re-signed reliever Pierce Johnson to a $14.25 million, two-year contract Wednesday in the first offseason move for the team that posted baseball's best record this season.

The Boston Red Sox have hired ex-pitcher Craig Breslow as their new chief baseball officer, the team announced Wednesday. Breslow pitched for Boston in 2006 and again from 2012-15.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At least once every time Bob Melvin came to San Francisco as a visiting manager, he allowed himself to believe that maybe someday he would wear a Giants uniform again.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Canada's Dan Shulman and Jacques Doucet are among the finalists for the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Joe Buck, Gary Cohen, Joe Castiglione, Tom Hamilton, Ernie Johnson Sr.