Giants exercise contract option on manager Bob Melvin for the 2026 season

The San Francisco Giants are showing their confidence in manager Bob Melvin, exercising his contract option for the 2026 season
San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin, right, talks with third base coach Matt Williams, left, before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin, right, talks with third base coach Matt Williams, left, before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants showed their confidence in manager Bob Melvin on Tuesday, exercising his contract option for the 2026 season.

San Francisco was 45-40 and in third place in the NL West heading into the second game of a four-game set at Arizona on Tuesday night.

The 63-year-old Melvin left the San Diego Padres to return home to the Bay Area and manage the Giants last year for the job he always dreamed of doing as a former catcher with the organization. This is his 22nd year as a major league 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.”

Melvin, a three-time Manager of the Year who has won the award in both leagues, has a career regular-season record of 1,642-1,547 with eight postseason appearances while guiding Arizona, Seattle, Oakland, San Diego and now the Giants.

The club went 80-82 in his first season last year.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this group,” Melvin said. “I believe in what we’re building here, and I appreciate the confidence that the Giants ownership group, Greg, Buster, 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.”

Melvin is a native of nearby Palo Alto, California. He attended the University of California-Berkeley and played for his hometown Giants from 1986-88.

He replaced Gabe Kapler, who was fired with three days remaining in the 2023 season. The Giants haven't made the playoffs nor had a winning record since finishing with a franchise-record 107 victories to edge the 106-win Dodgers for the NL West title in 2021.

In other Giants news, the team placed infielder Christian Koss on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain and recalled outfielder Luis Matos from Triple-A Sacramento.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin, left, takes the ball from relief pitcher pitcher Erik Miller during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin looks to the field before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin, right, watches Mike Yastrzemski, left, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin has words with home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott (81) after getting ejected from the game in the ninth inning during a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, June 30, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP