The San Francisco Giants fired president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi on Monday and changed him with Buster Posey, the three-time World Sequence-winning catcher and franchise icon who had taken on an more and more giant entrance workplace function lately.
Posey, a seven-time All-Star and Nationwide League MVP, retired after the 2021 season and in 2022 joined the Giants’ possession group. Extensively regarded for his baseball acumen, the 37-year-old Posey lacks the entrance workplace expertise that sometimes accompanies those that ascend to high jobs.
However, the Giants noticed him as the correct candidate to switch Zaidi, 47, who had taken over in San Francisco in 2019 and over the previous three seasons oversaw mediocre outcomes that led to his dismissal.
“We’re on the lookout for somebody who can outline, direct and lead this franchise’s baseball philosophy and we really feel that Buster is the proper match,” Giants chairman Greg Johnson stated in a press release. “Buster has the demeanor, intelligence and drive to do that job, and we’re assured that he and (supervisor) Bob Melvin will work collectively to carry again successful baseball to San Francisco.”
Posey’s involvement within the six-year, $151 million contract extension for Matt Chapman earlier this month signaled a shift within the Giants’ operations, although it was not clear that he would take over have been Zaidi fired. San Francisco had backed Zaidi usually, giving him a two-year contract extension final yr and, over the winter, giving him the leeway to ensure greater than $400 million in free agent offers and push the crew’s payroll previous the luxury-tax threshold.
Regardless of glorious particular person performances, the Giants faltered, ending 80-82 after 81-81 and 79-83 performances in 2022 and 2023. The hiring of Melvin and the signing of Chapman, left-hander Blake Snell and outfielder JJung Hoo Lee did little to vary a crew that discovered itself buried in the very best division in MLB, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks all clearly superior.
Zaidi’s tenure appeared to be on the upswing in 2021, when the Giants went 107-55 and gained the Nationwide League West — the one time prior to now 12 seasons a crew apart from the Dodgers has taken the division crown. San Francisco misplaced to the Dodgers within the division sequence, Posey retired and the transition from the tip of the period through which they gained three World Sequence was official. By no means did Zaidi come near replicating it once more.
“We respect Farhan’s dedication to the group and his ardour for making an impression in our neighborhood throughout his six years with the Giants,” Johnson stated. “Finally, the outcomes haven’t been what we had hoped, and whereas that accountability is shared by all of us, we’ve got determined {that a} change is important. Whereas these selections should not simple, we consider it’s time for brand spanking new management to raise our crew so we will constantly contend for championships. I want Farhan and his household nothing however the very best shifting ahead.”