West swap: Melvin leaves Pads to manage Giants
The San Francisco Giants are hoping a recent division rival can turn them back into a contender
Bob Melvin, a Bay Area native and former Giants player who also managed a decade in Oakland, has left the San Diego Padres to become the manager of the Giants, it was announced Wednesday.
“I could not be more excited to come back to the Bay Area and manage this great organization,” Melvin said in a statement. “I’d like to thank Greg Johnson, Farhan Zaidi and Larry Baer for giving me the opportunity to add another chapter to my Giants career. This is a tremendous opportunity and a great responsibility to lead this organization and I’m eager to get started.”
An introductory news conference has been scheduled for Wednesday.
San Diego granted Melvin permission to interview with the Giants earlier this week, paving the way for the end of a contentious two-year relationship between the Padres and the three-time Manager of the Year.
The Padres said earlier this month that they intended to retain Melvin and general manager A.J. Preller, even after going 82-80 en route a third-place finish in the National League West.
Melvin managed the Padres for two seasons, reaching the 2022 NL Championship Series but then missing the playoffs this season with a $258 million payroll, the third highest in the majors. He will replace Gabe Kapler, who went 79-83 this season.
Melvin managed the Oakland Athletics from 2011 to 2021. He went 171-153 with the Padres and will enter his 21st season as a manager next year with a career record of 1,517-1,425 in stints with Arizona, Seattle, Oakland and San Diego.
“Bob Melvin is one of the most well-respected managers and people in baseball today,” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of baseball acumen from all of his experience in the game, first as player and then over the last 20-plus years as a manager or coach.
“Having worked with Bob in the past I have seen firsthand the positive impacts that he has on a team and an organization. I’m thrilled to be working with him once again and can’t wait to get started.”
Melvin replaces Gabe Kapler, who was fired with three days left in the season after going 295-248 in his three-plus years and leading San Francisco to a franchise-record 107 wins in 2021.
The Giants have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
