Manager Bob Melvin was dismissed by the San Francisco Giants on Monday following the team’s failure to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey made the announcement, revealing that despite exercising Melvin’s contract option for the 2026 season on July 1, no assurances had been given to Melvin about managing in the future.
The Giants ended the season with an 81-81 record, one more win than Melvin’s first year. The team’s last postseason appearance was in 2021 when they clinched the National League West title with 107 wins under former skipper Gabe Kapler.
After discussions with ownership, Posey met with Melvin to convey the decision, stating, “After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team.” Posey acknowledged the recent disappointing and frustrating performance of the team and emphasized the need to identify a new leader to move forward.
Players expressed their support for Melvin, with third baseman Matt Chapman praising his consistency, honesty, and support for the team. Melvin, a 63-year-old Bay Area native, fulfilled his dream by managing the Giants, his former team, for the past two seasons, marking his 22nd year as a major league manager. He boasts a career regular-season managerial record of 1,678-1,588 and has garnered three Manager of the Year awards.
In a separate development, the Minnesota Twins parted ways with manager Rocco Baldelli after a disappointing season. The Twins faced challenges following a major selloff before the trade deadline, leading to a poor performance in the latter part of the season. The team finished with a 70-92 record, marking their worst season since 2016.
Lucas Giolito of the Boston Red Sox will miss the American League wild-card series due to an elbow injury. Giolito, a 31-year-old right-hander, had a successful season with a 10-4 record and a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. Left-handers Connelly Early and Kyle Harrison are being considered as potential starters for the decisive Game 3.
Moreover, Major League Baseball witnessed a slight increase in overall attendance for the third consecutive season, despite a slight dip in the average due to fewer doubleheaders caused by weather disruptions. The average game time for a nine-inning MLB game increased by two minutes this season to two hours and 38 minutes, marking the third year of the pitch clock in effect.