Giant's Release Farhan Zaidi, Appoint Buster Posey as Successor
The San Francisco Giants parted ways with Farhan Zaidi and announced on Monday that Buster Posey will take over as the new president of baseball operations.
Zaidi was hired by the Giants in November 2018 after serving as the general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers for five years.
However, the Giants failed to make the playoffs in five out of six seasons under Zaidi's leadership, with the exception being the 2021 season where they set a franchise record of 107 wins and won the National League West title with manager Gabe Kapler at the helm.
But the team struggled in the following two seasons, leading to Zaidi's decision to fire Kapler before the end of the 2023 campaign.
Under new manager Bob Melvin, the Giants finished the 2024 season with a record of 80-82, placing them in fourth in the NL West.
In a statement, Giants chairman Greg Johnson said, "Ultimately the results are not what we had hoped, and while that responsibility is shared by all of us, we have decided that a change is necessary. While these decisions are not easy, we believe it is time for new leadership to elevate our team so we can consistently contend for championships."
"We are looking for someone who can define, direct and lead this franchise's baseball philosophy and we feel that Buster is the perfect fit. Buster has the demeanor, intelligence and drive to do this job, and we are confident that he and Bob Melvin will work together to bring back winning baseball in San Francisco."
Posey, a seven-time All-Star and the 2012 NL MVP, retired after the 2021 season and joined the Giants' ownership group in September 2022. He played in 1,371 career games with the Giants, batting .302 with 158 home runs and 729 RBIs.