MLB insider speculates that SF Giants could be a landing spot for 2023 NL Manager of the Year

The SF Giants have taken a nosedive in the standings, which could lead to changes. One of those changes might be at manager. Bob Nightengale of USA Today speculates that San Francisco could be a landing spot for 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker.

MLB insider speculates that SF Giants could be a landing spot for 2023 NL Manager of the Year

Nightengale recognizes that Bob Melvin is in a tenuous position as Giants manager. The Giants picked up his 2026 option last month, but a lot has changed since then.

When the Giants made that move, they were still in a position to compete for a playoff spot. While you can never rule out a late playoff run, the odds of them reaching the postseason are remote at best.

It is not just that the Giants have struggled badly over the past six weeks, but they played sloppy baseball. Baserunning gaffes, defensive miscues, and poor situational hitting have been all too common for a team that has a lot of talent and has not dealt with major injuries. Unfortunately, that tends to reflect poorly on the manager and his coaching staff, which could lead to a change.

As Nightengale notes, Skip Schumaker expects to be one of the more popular targets among teams with a managerial vacancy.

The former major league infielder completed a two-year run with the Miami Marlins. In his first season in charge, he led the Marlins to an improbable playoff run with an 84-78 record. It marked just the fourth time in franchise history that they reached the postseason.

Miami lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card round. They went 33-14 in one-run games that season, which is likely not sustainable, but it does shine a favorable light on the manager. The close games are where their moves tend to get magnified. Schumaker's work as the team's skipper was viewed favorably, leading to him earning the 2023 NL Manager of the Year Award.

The Marlins had a change in leadership in the front office that led to Schumaker's contract being restructured. The Marlins held a team option for 2025, but that option was removed from his contract.

Not surprisingly, he did not return to the Marlins this season and accepted a position as a senior advisor in the Texas Rangers' front office. That was considered a short-term role for Schumaker, as he is well regarded throughout baseball, and did well enough in his brief stint with Miami to earn another chance to manage a club.

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