Bruce Bochy returns to San Francisco Giants in advisory role

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants are reuniting after all, with the club’s beloved former manager taking on a special adviser role on both the baseball and business sides following 28 seasons on the dugout’s top step.

President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey is turning to his old skipper to help guide a new regime and direction for the club following a fourth straight season without a playoff berth. The club announced Bochy’s hiring Monday.

Posey hired Tennessee coach Tony Vitello last month for his first job in professional baseball. Bochy should provide a strong sounding board for the first-time manager.

The 70-year-old Bochy guided the Giants to World Series championships in 2010 — the franchise’s first title since moving West in 1958 — ‘12 and ’14. He recently parted with the Texas Rangers following three seasons as manager, including their first championship in 2023.

“I couldn’t be more excited to reconnect with the Giants organization and so many familiar faces,” Bochy said. “This organization and city mean a lot to me and my family, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute in any way I can.”

From the beginning, Posey ruled out Bochy as a candidate to become San Francisco’s manager to replace Bob Melvin. The Giants fired Melvin after two seasons.

“Having Boch back in the organization means a great deal to all of us,” Posey said in a statement. “His experience, leadership, and feel for the game are unmatched, and his perspective will be invaluable as we continue building towards sustained success.”

Bochy left the rival San Diego Padres to become Giants manager in 2007, the year home run king Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s all-time record, and stayed with the club through 2019. He then worked as a special adviser for the Giants from 2020-2022 before taking the Rangers job.

This past season, the Giants finished 81-81 for one more victory than in Melvin’s first year. They haven’t reached the postseason since winning the NL West with a franchise-record 107 victories to edge the rival Dodgers by one game in 2021 under then-skipper Gabe Kapler.

Bochy’s 2,252 career managerial wins rank sixth in baseball history, while his 4,518 games managed put him at fourth. He notched 951 victories with San Diego and another 1,052 for the Giants, second-most by a Giants manager behind Hall of Famer John McGraw. Those totals make him the only manager in MLB history with 900 or more wins with multiple franchises.

“We are thrilled to welcome Boch back to the Giants family as a special adviser to baseball operations,” Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said. “Few people in baseball have his depth of knowledge, insight, and lived experience of the game. He shares a rich history with our organization and fans, and it’s special to have him back in orange and black.”