BATTLE-TESTED VETERAN JOINS THE GIANT CAUSE
The San Francisco Giants have officially electrified their fanbase with a key coaching hire: battle-tested veteran Jesse Chavez is the organization’s new bullpen coach.
Chavez, who only announced his retirement from an 18-season Major League career in July 2025, has traveled across nine different MLB teams, accumulating unmatched experience and grit across 657 career appearances.
His immediate hiring signals a new, serious commitment from the Giants to overhaul the late-inning pitching unit, which was severely troubled by trades and injuries throughout the latter half of last season.
WHY CHAVEZ IS THE RIGHT FIT
While Chavez never played for the Giants, his time spent with the nearby Oakland Athletics gives him valuable insight into the Bay Area environment. More critically, his career embodies the resilience the Giants’ young bullpen desperately needs.
Chavez was known throughout the league for his incredible ability to adapt and survive. He pitched for three decades, often relying on command and pitching intelligence—not overpowering velocity—to succeed.
His coaching philosophy is expected to emphasize “command over stuff,” a quote he has used repeatedly. This approach is highly valued in an organization that must develop its own internal bullpen talent to succeed.
The move is designed to inject the bullpen with his “longevity” and “first-one-in” preparation habits, qualities that teammates consistently praised throughout his long, winding career.
THE URGENCY OF THE BULLPEN OVERHAUL
The Giants’ urgency is warranted: the unit that started the 2025 season as one of the best in baseball ended it in pieces.
The team lost key relievers Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval via trades, and their projected new closer, Randy Rodríguez, is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery. A massive gap exists that must be filled.
Chavez, a 2021 World Series champion with the Braves, is now tasked with guiding a largely unproven group through a challenging period of recovery and development ahead of the 2026 season.
The hire, alongside other front office additions like former Giants Javier López and Curt Casali, suggests a determined shift toward integrating highly successful former players into the leadership structure.
