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3 potential candidates to replace Bob Melvin as SF Giants manager

By Nick San Miguel |
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The SF Giants are finishing out another mediocre year. With fans clamoring for changes, would the team take the drastic step of firing manager Bob Melvin? If they did, this article will provide a few names that could be on the short list.

3 potential candidates to replace Bob Melvin as SF Giants manager

Now, this would be fairly unlikely but it is not impossible. It is much more in the realm of possibility after it came to light that both Melvin and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi only have their contracts through 2025, not 2026 as it was previously thought.

This means that they both have less job security than previously thought. It sets up a situation where 2025 is truly a make or break year for the both of them and does leave the door slightly ajar for ownership to clean house this season although that does seem unlikely.

Do not forget that manager Gabe Kapler was fired with a year remaining on his contract at the end of last season.

It is important to note that they did allow Zaidi to negotiate the 6-year extension they gave out to third baseman Matt Chapman. They probably would not have allowed that if they were heavily leaning towards getting rid of Zaidi but then again, who knows. This organization has been a little weird in how it operates in recent years so I would not put anything past it.

But it is still worth wondering who could replace Melvin. Even if he remains the manager going into next year, if 2025 is another disappointment it seems very likely that he would be gone after next year. 

This article will examine 3 potential candidates who could succeed Melvin as manager whether that be this year, next year, or a few years down the road. 

3 potential candidates to replace Bob Melvin as SF Giants manager

1. Mark Hallberg

Buster Posey’s good friend and the current first base coach for the Giants Mark Hallberg could be a good candidate. He interviewed for the manager job last offseason and is thought highly of in the organization which is why he was one of the few holdovers from Kapler’s coaching staff to Melvin’s.

Indeed, he is friends with Buster and played with him in college at Florida State. That is definitely not going to hurt you when trying to become manager of the Giants. One could probably mount a fairly successful run for mayor of San Francisco just based on being good friends with Buster. 

But beyond that he has been with the team since 2020 and seems to be someone that is trusted and respected in the clubhouse. Perhaps as a 38 year old he would be able to better connect with and relate to the players especially compared with the 62 year old Melvin.

There could also be another good friend of Buster Posey who could take the reins if Melvin is let go.

3 potential candidates to replace Bob Melvin as SF Giants manager

2. Hunter Pence

If you really want to excite the fanbase with a managerial hire, hiring one of the most beloved Giants in recent memory in Hunter Pence would be about as good as you could do. Pence has remained active in baseball after retiring both as a broadcaster and with the Giants. He has been at camp in Spring Training and has showed up to reunion events.

Players on the team know him and respect him. We know he brings an unmatched energy and can motivate anyone no matter what they are going through. 

However, he can be a bit of a goofball. That’s endearing now in his current role, but it could prove grating if he was a manager especially if the team was not doing well. 

It would be so sad if Pence became manager and the team was bad because then that could taint his legacy with the Giants in some way. As of right now he is basically flawless in the eyes of Giants fans. They traded for him in 2012 and he was a massive part of both the 2012 and 2014 championships. Maybe it would be better if we just left that pure and did not allow Pence to get yelled at for how he is using the bullpen. 

But dang it, it sure would be fun if he came in and turned things around. 

This final potential candidate is another person who has been with the organization for a while. 

3 potential candidates to replace Bob Melvin as SF Giants manager

3. Alyssa Nakken

Just like Hallberg, Alyssa Nakken also interviewed with for the managerial role last offseason. She has been a part of the coaching staff for the Giants since 2020 and, like Hallberg, was one of the few holdovers from the Kapler staff.

Nakken has been part of the Giants organization since 2014 when she served as an intern in the baseball operations department. She has worked her way up through the organization and has earned it every step of the way.

She has certainly developed a rapport with players over the years and would be a familiar face for guys in the clubhouse. Yet, like Hallberg, she would represent a generational shift since she is only 35 years old. 

Those who would be afraid of a younger manager would do well to realize that Stephen Vogt, who also interviewed with the Giants in the offseason, is 39 years old and is leading the Cleveland Guardians to the playoffs in his first season as a manager. 

Sure, Nakken would be a long shot to get the job but she is someone who should definitely be considered when an opening does arise.

Melvin will probably not be fired, but it is tough to see him being manager of the team for an extended period of time. Whenever he does get fired or decides to step down, these 3 candidates would be a great place to start in a managerial search. 

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