On January 13, 2020, Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended by MLB for one year after an investigation confirmed sign stealing by the Astros during their 2017 World Series campaign; both men were fired by the team shortly thereafter. Dusty Baker was announced as the new manager, and James Click as the new general manager, several weeks later on January 29 and February 3, 2020, respectively. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Astros once again qualified for the playoffs (this time, though, with a losing record), making a surprisingly deep run for their fourth consecutive American League Championship Series appearance after having handily dispatched the Minnesota Twins and division rival Oakland Athletics. However, despite becoming just the second team in the history of baseball to rebound from an 0–3 series deficit, the Astros ultimately fell to the Tampa Bay Rays after seven historically tight games in the ALCS.