Giants fire manager Bob Melvin after two disappointing seasons

The San Francisco Giants are moving forward without manager Bob Melvin. The team announced Monday it fired Melvin after two years at the helm.

Melvin, 63, was originally hired ahead of the 2024 MLB season to get the Giants back on track after the team missed out on two consecutive postseasons. Despite investment from the front office, the Giants failed the end that streak under Melvin. The Giants finished in fourth place in the National League West in 2024 and third in the division in 2025.

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Team president of baseball operations Buster Posey said Monday that the team failed to play up to its expectations this season, leading to Melvin’s firing.

“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.â€

Posey also thanked Melvin for his “dedication, professionalism, and class.”

Melvin’s tenure as the team’s manager wasn’t a disaster. The veteran manager was nearly exactly .500 in his two seasons with the club. After going 80-82 last season, the Giants finished 81-81 in 2025. While average, that record wasn’t good enough for the Giants.

The move comes despite Posey picking up an option on Melvin’s contract in July. That option guaranteed Melvin’s deal through 2026. But the team faltered during that month, going 9-15 in July. That resulted in Posey selling players at the deadline.

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The Giants briefly recovered enough to play their way back into playoff contention, but couldn’t maintain a high level of play. The team went 27-26 over the final two months of the regular season, which wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Cincinnati Reds and the collapsing New York Mets, who remained in playoff contention until the final day of the regular season.

With Melvin gone, Posey will be charged with picking the team’s next manager. Given the expectations set by Posey, that manager will be expected to win immediately in San Francisco.

Under Posey the Giants have shown a willingness to spend money in free agency to improve the club. The team brought in shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182 million deal last offseason and signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a $151 million extension at the end of 2024. Those moves, as well as the team’s early trade for Rafael Devers, show Posey’s desire to build a winner in San Francisco.

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While the team will invest in talent, winning in the NL West won’t be easy. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain a perennial contender and the San Diego Padres are always a threat to make a blockbuster trade. The Giants have mostly operated as the third banana in the division in recent memory.

It will be up to Posey, and his new manager, to prove the Giants are capable of hanging with the other juggernauts in the NL West.

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