The San Francisco Giants entered the year aiming for October baseball, but a brutal — and largely self-inflicted — midseason collapse dragged them back into mediocrity. Finishing at 81-81, they now head into the offseason with one priority standing above the rest: finding their next manager.
After two seasons at the helm, San Francisco dismissed manager Bob Melvin, the team announced on Monday.
"After meeting with ownership, I met with Bob today to inform him of my decision,” said Buster Posey, the club’s president of baseball operations, in a press release. "On behalf of the organization, I want to express my appreciation to Bob for his dedication, professionalism, and class. I wish him all the best.”
Bob Melvin, 63, was brought in before the 2024 season to serve as the Giants’ steady, old-school voice, carrying with him a lengthy track record of big-league success. But the Palo Alto native leaves with an underwhelming 161-163 record across two seasons. His departure comes with one year still left on his contract, which the Giants had exercised back on July 1.
“After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team,” Posey said. “The last couple of months have been both disappointing and frustrating for all of us, and we did not perform up to our standards. We now turn our focus to identifying a new leader to guide us forward.”
Despite his dismissal, Melvin’s outlook for 2026 was essentially a coin flip, sources told 95.7 the Game. Even as the Giants’ playoff hopes unraveled with a sluggish July and August, he never lost the clubhouse, and players consistently voiced their support for their skipper.
This will mark the Giants’ second managerial hire in the past three offseasons — an unusual level of turnover for a franchise long known for stability in the dugout. Because Melvin was a hire of the previous Farhan Zaidi regime, the vacancy now gives Posey a chance to put his own stamp on the franchise by choosing a long-term manager.
Now what?
Posey told reporters on Monday that he’s open-minded as the search for a new manager begins.
“I think we’re open. … I’d say what I want is somebody who’s going to be obsessive about the details, obsessive about work, obsessive about getting the most out of players, getting the most out of our staff, and somebody who will inspire confidence in our players on the field and all the interactions that happen off the field as well.”
Posey mentioned the age of the prospective candidates is "irrelevant" and experience — a word with several definitions and meanings — is fluid, too. It wouldn’t be a surprise if San Francisco pursued a candidate with a strong analytics background and proven communication skills, while also blending in elements of old-school baseball. In many ways, that’s what Posey embodies, too.
There are a few candidates swirling in rumors. Bruce Bochy’s contract is up with Texas and his relationship with Posey is well-known enough for the media to run with the idea. But Bochy has been there and done that in the Bay Area — he’s closed the chapter once before here — and there’s still a chance the Rangers’ brass could bring the 70-year-old future Hall of Famer back for a few more seasons.
Skip Schumaker was impressive as manager of the Miami Marlins and he’s the industry choice to receive interest from virtually every team. Rocco Baldelli was fired by the Minnesota Twins after seven seasons, so he’s a candidate with recent experience. Brandon Hyde was fired by the Baltimore Orioles earlier this season, too.
Another name to watch is Nick Hundley, now an assistant general manager with Texas. He served as Posey’s backup catcher in 2017-18, and the two have stayed close friends. Former Giant and current MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic a few years ago and could be a possibility, but it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave television. He’s also been thought by industry insiders to eventually succeed Brian Snitker in Atlanta or take over one of the New York teams.
If the Giants look internally, first base coach Mark Hallberg could emerge as a candidate. A former college roommate of Posey’s, Hallberg was well-regarded enough within the organization to earn an interview before Melvin’s hire in 2024 and has remained on the staff since.
The search will ultimately come down to how Posey and ownership define the future identity of the franchise. Do they want a forward-thinking manager who embraces analytics to modernize the clubhouse, or will they prioritize a leader with championship pedigree who can steady a team that’s lacked consistency in the last decade?
With San Francisco caught between veteran stars and a wave of young talent, the next hire must strike a balance between developing players and managing expectations in a market that still remembers its championship years.
There’s also the question of how much patience Posey will be afforded in shaping the roster around his choice. A second straight near .500 finish has left the fan base restless, and whoever takes over will inherit a team that needs more than just tactical adjustments — it needs a spark. That makes the decision not just about finding a capable skipper, but about finding a voice that can restore belief in both the clubhouse and the stands. In that sense, Posey’s first managerial hire is as much about reshaping culture as it is about filling out a lineup card.
Melvin’s coaching staff will stay in place until a new manager determines who, if anyone, to retain. However, bench coach Ryan Christenson and third base coach Matt Williams told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle they won’t be back next season.
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