Bob Melvin's job as SF Giants manager is likely safe, but should it be?

With how well the SF Giants have played as of late, the chatter surrounding manager Bob Melvin’s job security has quieted down. Should that be the case, though?

It was not that long ago when many fans were calling for Melvin, and other members of the coaching staff, to be axed. It was not hard to wonder why as the team was struggling mightily and was consistently getting embarrassed at home.

Bob Melvin's job with SF Giants is safe, for now

It seemed like the team was lacking energy and direction which obviously did not reflect well on Melvin and his staff.

If the team continued on their trajectory of playing uninspired ball and finished the season well below .500, it would have been almost impossible for president of baseball operations Buster Posey to justify bringing Melvin back even though he exercised his contract option for 2026 earlier this season.

Yet, as of late the team has completely flipped the switch and is now playing incredible. Winning fixes a lot of things and the team is now hitting well and playing with fire and seemingly greater chemistry which has completely shifted the vibes. The team even has a somewhat realistic shot at the playoffs. 

Recency bias makes it seem like things are going well, but we would do well to remember how badly the team played for much of the summer. It is still hard to fathom how the team dropped off so drastically after acquiring Rafael Devers. It is good that we are now seeing Posey’s plan come together, but it is fair to wonder why it took so long.

The clubhouse still definitely seems to be behind Melvin so perhaps part of the reason why the team has turned things around is because they do not want Melvin to be axed. He is a respected manager with a lot of experience so getting rid of him would probably not be a popular move with a lot of members of the clubhouse.

Still, the team’s summer free fall really was unacceptable. While Melvin will most likely be back next year, Posey will surely communicate to him that a massive drop off will not be tolerated like it was this season. The Giants could be a playoff team if they had just played somewhat respectably for a few months.

Melvin should definitely feel more secure in his role as manager, but going into next year he may be on some thin ice if the team has another slide like it did in 2025. 

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