SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have received permission from the Padres to interview San Diego manager Bob Melvin for their open managerial job, a person with direct knowledge of the decision said Sunday.
When the Giants inquired about Melvin, the manager expressed interest in going through the process, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Giants‘ managerial candidates aren’t being made public. The Athletic first reported Melvin was in the mix with San Francisco.
The 61-year-old Melvin managed the Oakland Athletics from 2011-21 before leaving for the Padres position. He has gone 171-153 with big-spending San Diego the past two seasons – but the Padres’ downfall in 2023 left some uncertainty about whether Melvin would return.
Then, both Melvin and general manager A.J. Preller said earlier this month Melvin would be back for 2024 to fulfill the final year on his contract after the Padres finished 82-80 and missed the playoffs following a run to the NL Championship Series in 2022.
Melvin is a three-time Manager of the Year winner – honoured in both leagues – who just completed his 20th overall season as a major league skipper. He owns a 1,517-1,425 career record with eight postseason appearances while guiding Arizona, Seattle, Oakland and San Diego.
A native of nearby Palo Alto, California, who grew up cheering for the Giants, Melvin’s Bay Area ties run deep. He attended the University of California-Berkeley and played for his hometown Giants from 1986-88.
Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi has said he hopes to find a new manager by the start of free agency to replace Gabe Kapler, fired with three days remaining in the season. Kapler was 295-248 over three-plus seasons, with the Giants winning a franchise-record 107 games and edging the 106-win Dodgers for the NL West title in 2021 before missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach on the field in a major league game when she worked first base for San Francisco in April 2022, went through a first-round interview as one of the Giants’ internal candidates.
