WASHINGTON – At 75 years old and nearly five decades in baseball, Dusty Baker has learned that no matter your age or experience, learning is a lifelong journey.

Now, it’s his children who are teaching him – showing him that wounds can heal and that there are greater reasons for why life unfolds in certain ways.

Most importantly, they remind him that no aspiration is too ambitious to pursue.

On Sunday, at Nationals Park, Dusty, his wife Melissa, and their son Darren came together following the 25-year-old infielder’s call-up to the major leagues. It was the first time in seven years that father and son reunited at this venue, with Dusty feeling like he had unfinished business after the Nationals parted ways with him, despite achieving National League East titles during his two-year tenure as manager.

In 2017, Baker awaited a phone call from general manager Mike Rizzo, which took several days to come, hanging in uncertainty after the Nationals’ postseason exit against the Chicago Cubs – marking the second successive year the team faced a painful Game 5 loss in the NL Division Series.

The franchise moved on from Baker, becoming the fourth team to release him after a playoff run, believing they could achieve greater success elsewhere.

However, in 2024, when Rizzo called, the tone was completely different.

Baker had finally realized his dream of being a World Series champion after winning with the Houston Astros in 2022. He’s now a Hall of Famer-in-waiting, with 2,183 victories, ranking seventh in all time, and he enjoys a semi-retirement role as a consultant for the San Francisco Giants.

Darren, drafted by Rizzo in 2019—two years after Dusty left D.C.—was set to be one of the Nationals’ call-ups as September arrived, expanding rosters from 26 to 28 players.

“I thought he was just calling to say hello,” Baker recalled. “He said, ‘Hey man, we’re calling up some kid who’s got like 38 stolen bases.’ I was like, really? That’s awesome. ‘And he’s hitting .290.’

“Sounds like Darren.”

Dusty and Melissa had just returned from Scranton, where they watched Darren play for the Nationals’ Class AAA team. They rushed back East, arriving at their hotel around 3 a.m. Sunday, barely catching some rest.

This story has been told countless times – a big leaguer called up for their debut, and parents racing to see their child play. But this occasion was unlike any other.

Darren Baker became well-known as a toddler after a famous incident during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series, when he was rescued from danger at home plate by San Francisco’s J.T. Snow, as the Giants took a 3-2 lead in the series, only to eventually lose in a dramatic seven-game series (having a familiar narrative?).

Baker had managerial stints in Chicago—where some remember Steve Bartman’s infamous Game 6 incident during the Cubs’ NLCS collapse—and Cincinnati after that. As Darren grew older, he absorbed every lesson, even if he was too young to recall Snow’s notable act in San Francisco.

By 2017, he took batting practice at Nationals Park, nearly accepting a challenge from broadcaster F.P. Santangelo to hit a home run. By 2021, he was back in the draft, this time a second-round pick out of Cal.

The following spring, he and Dusty became spring training roommates, both preparing at the same facility but representing different teams – Dusty with the Astros and Darren with the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Throughout this journey, Darren’s influence on Dusty has grown tremendously. The little boy who once switched the channel to “SpongeBob SquarePants” as his father’s NFL game wrapped up had matured into a trusted advisor.

By 2022, it was Darren sending Dusty motivational texts, advising him on connecting with players much younger than him and staying up-to-date with the fast-evolving game.

“Sometimes, we don’t want to admit it, but you can learn from your kids,” Dusty shared. “He keeps me updated on music trends. He talks to me. He and my daughter act like they are my parents. He even makes sure I’m eating well and staying healthy.

“We still say our prayers together, just like we used to before going to bed. I am incredibly proud of both my children. My son, for achieving what he set out to do.”

“Very few people get to do what they truly desire in life.”

Dusty knows this well. Despite facing criticism for various playoff failures, he has witnessed all his former teams struggle to advance further the year after releasing him.

“San Francisco and this place are my two favorite stops. It really saddened me to not return here,” Dusty expressed on Sunday.

The Nationals, however, celebrated a World Series title in 2019 with new manager Dave Martinez—who had played for Baker in San Francisco in the 1993-94 seasons.

Now, Martinez is managing Dusty’s son.

Darren Baker said he woke up without needing an alarm on Sunday, still filled with excitement from the clubhouse announcement made by Class AAA manager Matthew.

Lecroy announced to him that he was headed to the major leagues. Upon reaching this pinnacle, he recognized that his father was essentially the ideal baseball dad.

“He’s amazing,” Baker mentions, a second baseman and outfielder who got a hit on the first pitch he faced as a pinch hitter during the ninth inning in the Nationals’ defeat against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. “He never pressured me into playing or imposed himself on me. I discovered my love for the sport on my own, and that has truly benefited me over the years, especially during those long bus rides in Triple-A.”

“He’s great at letting me be who I am.”

Dusty observes that “Bakers develop later,” so he sees great potential in his 5-foot-10, 167-pound son, who successfully stole 38 bases out of 43 attempts at Rochester and has a minor league career OPS of .703.

“I see someone who really understands the game,” Dusty remarks. “He has been around it since he was very young. He makes very few mistakes on the bases. He would sit next to me on the bench, witness a silly mistake, and say, ‘Dad, that wasn’t a smart move.’ He was just 10 or 12 years old, and I would agree, saying, ‘No son, that wasn’t right. I don’t want to see you do that.’”

“He shows a lot of determination and tenacity. It’s not just because he’s my son. He’s quite intelligent too.”

Baker expresses contentment, not only about his son’s career progress but also regarding overcoming the challenges of the World Series with Houston.

“A recurring theme: He tried to act calm,” Darren explains regarding the 2022 Series when the Astros triumphed over the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. “I was going wild supporting him. I had witnessed playoff heartbreaks in places like here and in Cincinnati.”

“I understand how difficult this is and how much effort it requires.”

Baker mentioned his desire to be the one to end the Nationals’ playoff streak without advancement. He also aimed to break the Cubs’ 108-year championship drought before it was finally ended in 2016.

However, his job gaps coincided with significant life events: his daughter’s backyard wedding, the passing of his father, and the death of his brother.

“It’s frustrating to be out of work at times, but then there are moments when you realize it was meant to be. That’s life.”

“We might think that we control everything, but ultimately we have limited control. Most of it is beyond our influence.”

“One must accept that circumstances unfold for a reason.”

On Sunday, he had all the time he needed to celebrate his son’s entrance into the major leagues, having fulfilled his own dreams, while Darren’s journey was just taking off.