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Bob Melvin, who managed the Giants for the last two years and posted a combined 161-163 record, was fired Monday, the team announced.
Buster Posey, president of baseball operations, will pick the Giants’ next manager, the sixth in the Oracle Park era. A shakeup of the coaching staff is anticipated, too.
“After meeting with ownership, I met with Bob today to inform him of my decision,” Posey said in a statement. “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.
“After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team. 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.”
Melvin went 161-163 (.497) in his two years as Giants manager.
It’s the third straight year the Giants fired a manager or lead executive; Gabe Kapler and Farhan Zaidi lost their jobs at the end of the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The competition to find Melvin’s replacement outside the organization could be stiff if a few other teams find themselves seeking new managers. Either way, you’ll hear a variety of names thrown about — some legit, some not. Among them will likely be Skip Schumaker, Mark DeRosa, Nick Hundley, Craig Albernaz, Brandon Hyde, George Lombard, Mark Hallberg, and Bruce Bochy, whose contract expired in Texas.
That’s the follow-up story. For now, the news is the Giants are moving beyond Melvin, whose 2025 Giants were streaky, sometimes resembling one of MLB’s best teams, but all too often playing poorly on several fronts. From defense to baserunning to hitting with runners in scoring position, fundamental baseball was lacking throughout the summer.
The roster, put together by Posey, was challenged and never matched up with division powers the Dodgers and Padres. The right side of the infield to begin the season was a flop with LaMonte Wade Jr. and Tyler Fitzgerald. Outfield defense was a problem all summer. There was a lack of depth at catcher and, ultimately, the rotation and bullpen. Then there was the deficient running game — the team ranked last in the league in steals for a third straight year.
In the end, Posey decided the manager would be the fall guy even though he exercised Melvin’s option July 1, guaranteeing his contract through 2026. It seemed like a partnership that would stick around, but the Giants went on some ugly runs in the second half, enough so that Posey dealt three veterans at the July 31 trade deadline: outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and relievers Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers.
The season seemed lost, but the Giants stunningly returned to the wild-card race by winning 14 of 18 in late August and early September. However, the relievers Posey traded, coupled with season-ending injuries to All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez and Erik Miller, decimated the bullpen and handicapped Melvin’s ability to summon front-line relievers.
The Giants were riding high Sept. 12 after Patrick Bailey’s walk-off grand slam to beat the Dodgers, moving into a virtual tie for the final wild-card spot, but the season went sideways again with another tailspin. The Giants lost nine of 11 before winning their final four, and now Melvin is out of a job.
It didn’t help that Willy Adames, Posey’s big offseason signing, got off to a slow start, and the other main addition, 42-year-old Justin Verlander, didn’t find consistent success until the season’s final two months. Rafael Devers arrived from Boston in mid-June, but the Giants had a losing record on his watch.
Throughout the season, team leaders such as Logan Webb and Matt Chapman expressed their support for Melvin and insisted that the players, not the manager or coaches, were the reason for the losses. In fact, when Melvin got his option picked up, Posey pointed to himself as the cause for the team’s poor play, as the architect of the roster.
Melvin, who had spent 11 years as A’s manager, considered the Giants gig a dream job, the only man to manage both Bay Area clubs other than Alvin Dark. The fact that Melvin grew up on the Peninsula attending games at Candlestick Park and the Coliseum made the connection special for him.
Chapman has been a big-leaguer for nine seasons, all but two (in Toronto) with Melvin as his manager. In spring training, Chapman told The Standard, “I signed here because of BoMel. I would have never come to the Giants if it wasn’t for him. He got me here. He’s the reason I’m here. I didn’t sign a six-year extension thinking I was going to play for another manager.”
Adames, entering his first year with the Giants, said in the spring, “I wish he could stay here the whole time I’m here.”
Adames toned down his comments after Sunday’s season finale. Asked if he’d like Melvin back in 2026, he said, “That’s not my decision. Whatever Buster thinks.” On that front, Chapman said, “It’s hard for me to comment on that. It’s out of my pay grade. Of course I love BoMel. I think he’s great.”
Melvin was hired under the Zaidi administration with the backing of ownership following the six-year run of the analytics-heavy Kapler. At his introductory news conference, Melvin said this would be his final managing job. He’s 63.
The coaching staff includes bench coach Ryan Christenson and third-base coach Matt Williams, both of whom were handpicked by Melvin and served on his staff with other teams. Another Melvin disciple, Bryan Price, stepped down as pitching coach after last season, replaced by J.P. Martinez.
