The San Francisco Giants saw a major organizational shift after former Giants star Buster Posey was hired as the President of Baseball Operations. The change came at a time when many fans and players had become increasingly frustrated with the team’s consistently mediocre seasons: with the exception of 2021, the Giants had finished just about every season since its last playoff appearance in 2016 with a record that ranged from perfectly average (81 wins and 81 losses in 2022) to bad (64-98 in 2017). After taking charge of the team, Posey took action quickly, signing a 7-year contract with Milwaukee Brewers’ shortstop Willy Adames, who has had decent offensive numbers for years. During the season itself, Posey traded several prospects for Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers, a major surprise across the MLB. More change seemed inevitable. At least for a while.
The Giants started off 2025 hot, persistently posing as a contender for first in the National League West division against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, who had long been considered far stronger teams. However, even with the signing of Devers, the Giants’ season went downhill halfway through the season, and despite what appeared to be a last-ditch playoff push, they finished yet again at 81-81.
In the offseason, the consistent mediocrity had many wondering: are things ever going to actually change? Posey certainly believes so. On October 22, 2025, he made a historic decision. Manager Bob Melvin was replaced with Tony Vitello, who at the time was head coach for the Tennessee Volunteers college team. Vitello, who had worked with the Volunteers during their remarkable comeback over several seasons from mediocre to dominant, was the first college manager to directly become manager of a professional team. This proved to be a continuation of Posey’s increasingly well-known policy of bringing unprecedented change to the team. Vitello’s first season as Giants manager will be one to watch closely.
The Giants also have needs outside of management, however. After all, it’s the players who make the most visible difference when it comes to performance on the field. There will, as usual, be plenty of free agents to watch this offseason. Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs is one of the biggest names around, and the Giants have been mentioned from time to time as a potential option of who he will sign with. In the international market, attention turns to Tatsuya Imai of Japan, a pitcher who is also considered potentially a good fit for the Giants. Whether or not they land the more discussed free agents, the Giants will have to deal with their pitching. After several trades and injuries during the season, the reliability and consistency of the pitching staff has become uncertain. Potential targets include starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Zac Gallen as well as keeping Justin Verlander. Their relief pitching needs are also apparent after closer Randy Rodriguez’s injury and reliever Tyler Rogers’s trade to the New York Mets.
The 2026 season will show a clearer picture of whether or not the San Francisco Giants’ reforms have been enough to spark a real change after years of average performance, and this will largely depend on the performance of recently added players like Adames, Devers, and Korean star Jung Hoo Lee, the management of Tony Vitello and other newly hired coaches, and who the Giants acquire over the offseason.
