On Monday, the San Francisco Giants made a shocking move, firing manager Bob Melvin after just two years at the helm.
The Giants went 81-81 during the regular season and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year, which prompted president of baseball operations Buster Posey to make the change.
This is certainly big news coming out of San Francisco. The Giants last reached the postseason in 2021, but have not had the same success since then. This marks the second time in the last three years that San Francisco has dismissed a manager. Melvin replaced Gabe Kapler.
His club option had previously been picked up for 2026, which makes the firing all the more surprising.
What Bob Melvin’s dismissal means for the Giants
Obviously, the Giants will soon begin a search for a new manager. But this move has major ramifications for not only San Francisco but for the rest of Major League Baseball.
First, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has linked the Giants to St. Louis Cardinals ace Sonny Gray. Gray played under Melvin with the Athletics from 2013-17. With Melvin out of the picture and Gray having a no-trade clause in his contract, this could lead to the Giants no longer being a suitor for the veteran right-hander.
There are plenty of possible candidates who can replace Melvin. The most obvious is four-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy, who was with the Giants from 2007-19 and won three of his four titles with San Francisco in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Posey played under Bochy from 2010-19. The 70-year-old has managed the Texas Rangers since 2023 and brought them their first-ever World Series title.
Another option could be Skip Schumaker, who managed the Miami Marlins in 2023 and 2024. He was the National League Manager of the Year after taking Miami to the postseason, but left after the 2024 season when the Marlins declined his club option.
This season, he worked with the Rangers’ front office.
Bochy would be the popular pick among fans, as his track record of success precedes him, as does his relationship with Posey. But the Giants may choose to go in a different direction and choose a younger manager.
It will certainly be interesting to see where the Giants land in their search for a new skipper.
