Bruce Bochy is nearing a deal to return to the Giants in an advisory role. CEO Greg Johnson first told Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday that the sides were working on a deal. Bochy confirmed to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic this evening that he’s in the process of finalizing a special assistant position. He’ll be on hand as an excellent resource for first-year manager Tony Vitello. Bochy will join another future Hall of Fame manager, Dusty Baker, as special assistants in San Francisco.
The 70-year-old Bochy has spent the past three seasons managing the Rangers. He led Texas to a World Series in 2023, the fourth title of his career. Bochy famously led the Giants to three World Series in a five-year span between 2010-14. President of baseball operations Buster Posey was a face of the franchise for most of Bochy’s 13 seasons at the helm. Only Hall of Famer John McGraw, who managed for 31 years between 1902-32 when the team was still in New York, has won more games in Giants’ history.
This might close the book on Bochy’s managerial career. “I would say that’s where I’m at right now,” he told Baggarly when asked if he expects that his stint with the Rangers would be his last one in the dugout. “I’ll add you don’t ever rule anything out. You don’t, you know? But I’m content with what I’m doing now. … This is what I want to do. I want more time for myself and family but also to contribute to a game that I love.”
Bochy is sixth all-time with 2,252 managerial wins between his stints with the Padres, Giants and Rangers. He and Baker are the only two skippers within the top 10 who have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame. That’s only because both men were managing within the past couple seasons. It’s a matter of time before they’re in Cooperstown. (The same is true for Terry Francona, who is 12th on the all-time list and now the winningest active manager with Bochy back in an advisory role.)
Managers are only inducted into Cooperstown via the Era Committees. Managers who are 65 and older are eligible for Hall of Fame consideration six months after they retire. Baker and Bochy would only be up for consideration by the Contemporary Baseball Era Non-Players Committee. That’ll come up during the 2026-27 offseason. Baker should get into the Hall next winter. Bochy could be eligible for that cycle if he officially retires within the next few months, but it seems he prefers not to shut the door entirely just yet.
There’s also some news on Vitello’s coaching staff. Baggarly reports that Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler has agreed to join the San Francisco staff in some capacity. He’ll bring a decent amount of experience, as he managed the Padres between 2020-21 and had been Rocco Baldelli’s top lieutenant in Minnesota for the last four years. The Twins fired Baldelli and hired Derek Shelton to manage, so it’s not surprising there’ll be some coaching turnover. Tingler and Vitello go back more than two decades. They were teammates at the University of Missouri in the early 2000s.
As long as he is not making me wince every step he takes to the mound. Watching him used to kill me. Poor dude.
No idea on the level of input special assts provide but old heads in and around sounds logical to me.
these special advisor roles are just so these old timers can keep collecting a check in addition to their social security, holding back the young hungry hotshots within the org from getting their chance. step aside and allow for the next generation an opportunity at building their careers.
The manager is a young hungry hotshot with no mlb experience. You really believe they are just cutting him a paycheck for nostalgia reasons ?
These special advisor roles are given to the old heads as a move to show respect and open the door for advice when needed. The Giants treat their former players and staff well, keeping them in the family and this is another way to keep Bochy close to the team m, and give Vitello a resource where he needs it. You don’t need to have weekly 1:1s but I hope Vitello uses Bochy as a trusted resource who can help him manage the Major League season, the players, and opens the door to someone who gave them championships.
Aloha folks, much respect for Bochy and his tenure as a Giants manager. Nice to see him come back and team up with an ole pupil, Posey! Mahalo!
Padres really burned that bridge when they canned him.
Add more wood to the fire. As if the Bochy Curse on San Francisco when playing against San Diego has been running low on fuel.