Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker believes team could win World Series again in 2023: "If we stay healthy, we got a great chance to do it again"

With spring training just over a week old, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker is optimistic that the team could win a second consecutive World Series in 2023.

"If we stay healthy, we got a great chance to do it again" Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said about his team's chances of winning back-to-back World Series on MLB Network's "High Heat."

Baker won the first World Series of his 25-year managerial career last season when the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games last season. In his sixth and likely final season managing, winning a second title is the team's top goal.

"That's why I'm here," Baker told reporters at spring training last week. "I always said I want to win two if I win one. I'm in a position for us to win two – back to back. It's a very difficult situation, but others have done it – and I'm hoping we're prepared to do it."

Last season was a special year in more ways than one for Baker. He became the 12th manager to reach 2,000 career wins before also becoming the oldest manager to win the World Series.

He didn't have much of a break, with just a couple of completely baseball-less months between winning the title in November and the beginning of spring training last week. He explained to MLB.com that he's glad to be back in the swing for spring.

“It was a very short winter, a very fulfilling winter,” Baker said. “It always feels good to come back and see the guys. You see what kind of shape they’re in, you see who worked and you see who matured from a boy to a man. This is an exciting time of the year.”

Houston Astros reloaded for another championship run

Manager Dusty Baker Jr. of the Houston Astros celebrates after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies to win the 2022 World Series.

While the Houston Astros lost American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to the New York Mets, the team remains in good stead to be the first team to win the World Series in consecutive seasons since the New York Yankees won three straight championships from 1998-2000.