A year of upsets and surprises but it also gave us some brilliant individual and team performances

Dusty Baker's run to a World Series title win was one of the several memorable sports stories in 2022, on and off the field.

One of the most respected people in baseball, the one thing missing from Baker's resume: a World Series ring as a manager.

Baker finally got the elusive ring with the Houston Astros while erasing some of the taint of sign-stealing the 2017 title in one of the best moments of the year in sports.

"Had this happened years ago, I might not even be here," Baker said. "So maybe it wasn't supposed to happen so that I could hopefully influence a few young men's lives and their families and a number of people in the country through showing what perseverance and character can do for you in the long run."

Baker won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but had gone 25 years without winning one as a manager. He had been to the Fall Classic twice before without winning and was the most successful manager without a title before the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

"To be the team that was able to pull it off for him, I know how much it means to him and it means so much to us," Astros pitcher Justin Verlander said.

Aaron Judge also made the headlines by breaking the American League record with his 62nd homer, leading to a record nine-year, $360 million contract.

There were several off-field stories that made headlines — Brittney Griner, Dan Snyder and the Commanders, Suns owner Robert Sarver — but Baker's long-awaited title win wasn't the only redemptive sports story in 2022.