The 2026 Major League Baseball season has been anything but kind to the San Francisco Giants, and the reverberations of its effects may be threatening for certain individuals within the organization.
Throughout the season, a lot of the focus has been on the job first-year manager Tony Vitello has been doing. Vitello has been the subject of significant scrutiny, and even though his tenure with the club is in its infancy, his future is already in question.
However, Vitello may not be the only one who is in the hot seat. President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has had his fair share of struggles, and it may be detrimental to his legacy if he does not figure it out soon.
Why is Posey’s legacy in jeopardy?
On Wednesday, Brittany Ghrioli of The Athletic published a detailed article chronicling Posey’s journey into his current position and what his shortcomings have been as an executive.
Everything about Posey’s transition from fan-favorite superstar catcher to front-office leader was very quick, and so far, it has been detrimental to both Posey and the team. The time the 39-year-old spent as a player is defined by unquestionable greatness, but his time as an executive has sparked frustration from the same fan base that once adored him.
The question now becomes whether or not Posey’s actions in his current role will tarnish the success he has had in the past.
As Ghiroli pointed out, Posey’s hiring to his station was partially driven by nostalgia, which carries tremendous risk in a realm that is predicated on cautious operation. Posey also took his own big risk by hiring Vitello.
What Posey and Vitello have in common is that they are revered for who they used to be, but not who they are currently. Before taking the job with the Giants, Vitello was the coach of a dominant baseball program at Tennessee. Now, he is leading the dugout of one of baseball’s worst clubs.
At 50-71, the Giants don’t have much of a chance to turn this thing around. Sure, nothing is impossible, but with 41 games remaining, it would take a near-impossible run just for this club to finish with a winning record.
Perhaps the toughest part for Posey is that this was supposed to be a year in which San Francisco could have been a contender. The Giants have not proven to be one since the 2021 season when they won 107 games. Instead, they are cruising to their third losing season in four years.
With a contract that goes through the 2027 season, Posey’s runway is getting smaller, and he'd better find a way to get this plane off the ground before any additional damage is incurred.