Baker leaves Nats following death in family, will return Friday

By Mark Zuckerman

Nationals

September 14, 2016, 8:17am

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Dusty Baker has left the Nationals temporarily due to a death in the family and won't manage today's series finale against the Mets, the club announced.

Bench coach Chris Speier will assume managerial duties for the game.

Baker is expected to rejoin the team in Atlanta and manage Friday night's series opener against the Braves.

This will be the first game Baker has missed since taking over as Nationals manager. The 67-year-old hasn't missed an inning of his team's first 145 games; he's one of only four MLB managers who has not been ejected so far this season.

Speier, 66, has long been Baker's right-hand man, serving on his coaching staffs in both Chicago and Cincinnati. The former infielder served as Reds interim manager in Sept. 2012 when Baker was hospitalized after suffering a mini-stroke. Speier managed 11 games and wound up being at the helm when the Reds clinched the National League Central title.