Giants fire manager Bob Melvin after 81-81 season

The San Francisco Giants fired veteran manager Bob Melvin one day after the 2025 MLB regular season ended.

Melvin’s 2026 option was picked up in July, but the Giants opted to move in a different direction.

San Francisco finished 81-81 this year, hovering on the edge of playoff contention. Despite a 13-3 surge in August, the club faltered in September and slipped out of the race.

“After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team,” Buster Posey, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, said Monday, via ESPN. “The last couple of months have been both disappointing and frustrating for all of us, and we did not perform up to our standards. We now turn our focus to identifying a new leader to guide us forward.

“Just looking to find a different voice that can take us in a different direction.”

METS’ STEVE COHEN FIRES OFF MESSAGE TO FANS AFTER DREADFUL COLLAPSE

Melvin acknowledged after San Francisco’s season-ending 4-0 win that he had no assurances about returning, despite his option being exercised.

The Giants are expected to move quickly to secure a new manager. One rumored candidate is Bruce Bochy, Posey’s former skipper in San Francisco, who just completed three seasons with the Texas Rangers.

“We talked about it a lot, what the standards are for the Giants, and we have high standards,” Posey said. “And I hold myself to those same standards. I understand fully the position that I’m in now. My job and the team’s success is evaluated accordingly as well. Without a doubt, you hope there can be consistency in these leadership positions. We’ve got to get back to a place where we’re getting in the playoffs, we’re making runs in the playoffs. That’s what our fan base deserves, that’s what the city deserves.”

Posey declined to put a timeline on the hire. “I want to make sure to get it right,” he said.

Melvin’s extensive résumé means he could land elsewhere quickly. A three-time Manager of the Year in both leagues, he has a career record of 1,678-1,588 across 22 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and Giants.

He went 161-163 in two seasons with San Francisco.

“I feel extremely grateful that I get to play for him, and he’s the same guy every day,” third baseman Matt Chapman said. “He’s been steady for us, he’s always honest with the players, he has our back. He’s done the best with what we’ve given him. The players, a lot of us didn’t play to probably our capabilities.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.