By Sophia Verelli May 29, 2025
Photo: Andy Kuno / Getty Images / Buster Posey Speaking During Press Conference
By all appearances, the San Francisco Giants are in the midst of a subtle, calculated identity shift, one guided by a familiar face now sitting at the top of the front office. Buster Posey, once the cornerstone of the Giants' championship era behind the plate, is now steering the team from the executive suite as its newly minted president of baseball operations. With the trade deadline creeping closer, Posey has wasted no time evaluating where the team is vulnerable, and early signs point to changes already underway at key positions.
Perhaps most pressing is the situation at catcher, a position Posey once dominated with quiet command. The current catching corps has struggled to match even modest expectations. Patrick Bailey, though still among the league's best defensively, has seen his offensive production sag well below the Mendoza line, and backup Sam Huff has yet to provide a meaningful lift at the plate. As a result, the Giants have ranked among the worst in the league offensively at the position, with a combined OPS hovering around .519.
In what could be a sign of bigger moves to come, the Giants recently added veteran Andrew Knizner on a minor league deal. This coincides with a looming opt-out clause for Max Stassi, another experienced backstop currently stashed in Triple-A Sacramento. Stassi has quietly maintained a serviceable career OPS of .656, which would represent a noticeable improvement over the Giants' current production behind the plate. Knizner, Stassi, and Logan Porter — all now in Sacramento — form a curious trio of veterans waiting in the wings, and it’s hard not to imagine that the front office is evaluating which direction to go. A roster shakeup at catcher may no longer be a matter of “if” but “when.”
The offense has been Posey’s other major concern. In the last 21 games, the Giants have managed to score five or more runs only five times and have been stuck at four runs or fewer for the past 11 straight. While the team’s starting pitching has remained sturdy, the lack of firepower at the plate has become glaring. Among the most disappointing contributors is LaMonte Wade Jr., who entered the week batting .171 with a sluggish .278 on-base percentage and just a .279 slugging clip. Posey didn’t shy away from the issue when asked, stating plainly that the Giants “need more production” at first base.
Help may soon arrive from within. Jerar Encarnación, the team’s high-upside slugger who fractured his hand during spring training, is inching toward a return. Posey has already indicated that Encarnación will see time at first base, rotating with Wilmer Flores and Casey Schmitt. Another eye-catching development involves Marco Luciano, once groomed as the club’s shortstop of the future. Luciano has begun logging reps at first base in Sacramento, suggesting the Giants may view him as a multi-positional asset or even a long-term option at a corner infield spot. Posey’s approach appears to value versatility, but he’s also signaling a new urgency — if the bat plays, they’ll find a glove to match it.
Meanwhile, bullpen roles have been reshuffled. Ryan Walker, who had taken on some closer duties earlier this season, has been returned to a setup role after struggling to a 4.95 ERA. Camilo Doval has reclaimed the ninth inning and has looked nearly untouchable, posting a 1.16 ERA and not allowing a single earned run since April 7. That kind of consistency makes Doval a vital piece for any playoff push. Supporting him are Tyler Rogers and Randy Rodríguez, both of whom have earned higher-leverage work recently, while lefty Erik Miller has carved out a niche as a dependable weapon against left-handed batters.
While Posey’s player transactions have drawn most of the headlines, his fingerprints are on more than just the roster sheet. In a move that blends symbolism with practicality, Posey made the decision to relocate the Giants’ World Series trophies back into the main clubhouse — a space that had previously been taken over by analytics offices. The trophies, gleaming reminders of the franchise's championship pedigree, are a not-so-subtle signal that the team’s future ambitions are rooted in a winning past. Posey is not rejecting analytics, but rather harmonizing it with the culture he helped build as a player.
Behind the scenes, Posey is already becoming known for balancing the emotional intelligence of a former clubhouse leader with the decisiveness of an executive. He listens, evaluates, and acts — a pace that fits the Giants’ current moment. The team isn’t in a full-scale rebuild, but it’s also not coasting on old laurels. With the trade deadline drawing closer, don’t be surprised if more bold decisions follow, particularly if the offense continues to sputter.
For Giants fans, this new chapter led by Buster Posey is a fascinating one. The uniform may be gone, but the catcher’s instincts remain. He’s just calling the game from a different seat now.
