The San Francisco Giants on Tuesday announced that they’ve exercised manager Bob Melvin’s contract option for 2026. The move ensures that Melvin, 63, will return for a third season as Giants manager.
“Having the chance to work alongside Bob every day, we’re really fortunate to have such an experienced leader and one of the most well-respected managers in baseball,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said in a statement. “His leadership, preparation, and connection with our players have been invaluable, and we believe he’s the right person to continue guiding this team forward.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this group,” Melvin said in the same statement. “I believe in what we’re building here, and I appreciate the confidence that the Giants ownership group, Greg [Johnson], Buster [Posey], Larry [Baer], Zack [Minasian] and the rest of the Giants’ organization have shown in me and our staff. We have a lot of unfinished business this year, and I’m looking forward to the work ahead.”
The move comes as the Giants have emerged as surprise contenders this season. They go into Tuesday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a record of 45-40. While they’ve slipped well behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West standings, the Giants are very much in the mix for an NL wild-card spot (+125 to make the playoffs, per DraftKings). At present, they trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 ½ games in the race for the third and final wild-card berth, and they’re also a half-game behind the division-rival San Diego Padres in that chase. The Giants recently raised their profile and their postseason odds by acquiring Rafael Devers, one of the best hitters in baseball, in a surprising blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox.
As for Melvin, he’s 125-122 as Giants manager, and overall he has a record of 1,642-1,547 (.515) across parts of 22 seasons as an MLB manager. Among managers, he’s 21st on the all-time wins list and just eight wins from tying Mike Scioscia for 20th place. Melvin has guided three different teams — the Diamondbacks, A’s, and Padres — to the postseason and has on three occasions been named Manager of the Year for his league.
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