Bob Melvin is making a move.
After managing the San Diego Padres for the past two seasons, Melvin is reportedly taking the same job with the San Francisco Giants.
The Athletic reported that the Giants are poised to formally announce Melvin's hiring.
Melvin joined the Padres in 2022 and promptly managed the team to the National League Championship series, however the team failed to meet expectations and failed to make the playoffs in 2023 before finishing the season with an 82-80 record.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
The 61-year-old Melvin will be returning to the Bay Area where he grew up, cheered for and later played on the Giants and then managed the Oakland Athletics from 2011-21. An introductory news conference is planned for Wednesday.
During his tenure in San Diego, a rift developed between Melvin and Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. Shortly after the end of this disappointing season, Preller was asked about his relationship with Melvin and the skipper's future in San Diego. Preller downplayed any major rifts between the two and said Melvin is under contract for the 2024 season, "Bob is our manager and will be our manager going forward."
That changed recently with the Giants receiving permission from the Padres to interview Melvin, then his subsequent hiring in San Francisco.
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
Melvin, a three-time Manager of the Year who won in both leagues, went 171-153 with the big-spending Padres and will enter his 21st season as a manager next year. He has a career record of 1,517-1,425 with eight postseason appearances while guiding Arizona, Seattle, Oakland and San Diego.
Melvin had one year left on his contract with San Diego; it's unclear if the Padres will receive compensation.
With Melvin gone, Preller will be hiring his fifth manager since midway through the 2015 season. Perhaps the strongest in-house candidate is Mike Shildt, who was abruptly fired as manager in St. Louis after the 2021 season despite leading the Cardinals to a third straight playoff appearance. He was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2019.
Shildt was hired by the Padres before the 2022 season as a senior advisor to the major league staff and player development department. He filled in as third base coach early in the 2023 season after Matt Williams had colon cancer surgery. The previous year, Shildt also stepped in as third base coach, first base coach and bench coach due to various medical situations. His work in player development could be an added bonus if he takes over a big league roster led by stars Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts.
Another in-house candidate is Ryan Flaherty, the bench coach/offensive coordinator who was a teammate of Machado with the Baltimore Orioles.
Melvin was the only manager to lead the Padres to a winning record in a full season during Preller’s tenure, doing so twice. Preller’s three previous hires had no previous big-league managerial experience.
The Padres losing a manager to their National League West rival Giants is nothing new.
The Giants hired Bruce Bochy away from San Diego before the 2007 Major League Baseball season. Bochy proceeded to manage the Giants to three World Series championships, while the Padres are still seeking their first-ever World Series title.
Preller will now have to hire his 4th manager since firing Bud Black during the 2015 season.
The Padres will likely look at internal candidates Mike Schildt, the 2019 National League Manager of the Year with St. Louis, and bench coach Ryan Flaherty as replacement options.
