Dodgers just evaded nightmare situation involving Bruce Bochy, Giants

As the Los Angeles Dodgers seek a repeat World Series title this month, and as the San Diego Padres likewise pursue a championship, a fallen ex-powerhouse from the National League West will be working tirelessly behind the scenes to improve their chances in 2026. The San Francisco Giants didn’t have the 2025 season they expected, but they think a new manager will alter things for the franchise next year.

The Giants fired manager Bob Melvin on Monday after two seasons at the helm. And as Dodgers fans soaked up the news as if it were LA sunshine, their merriment was quickly interrupted by a much more ominous report coming out of San Francisco.

Giants news sent a momentary shiver down the spine of every Dodgers fan with Bruce Bochy rumors

With Melvin out, San Francisco’s president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, is diving into an aggressive search-and-hire process, and one of his top targets, as of Monday, was reported to be former Giants manager Bruce Bochy. What’s more, Bochy was reportedly open to the idea of returning to San Francisco, having recently moved on from the Texas Rangers.

Of course, Bochy won three World Series championships as Giants manager from 2010 to 2014, and a reunion would surely have the capacity to launch San Francisco back into playoff contender status, at the very least. That would be an awful development for the Dodgers, who already have their hands full in the division with the elite Padres and a playoff-worthy Arizona Diamondbacks club (that won the NL pennant in 2023). 

Wednesday afternoon brought relieving news for Dodgers nation, however, as Posey met with the press and announced that he ultimately won't be pursuing Bochy - at least, not for a manager role.

Bochy, 70, has had a long and wildly successful managerial career that’s already guaranteed him a place in the Hall of Fame if he were to retire today. On the other hand, it's reasonable to believe that Bochy is still at or near the top of his game, being only two seasons removed from leading the Rangers to a World Series title, Bochy’s fourth overall.

If Bochy still has gas left in the tank, he wasn’t interested in burning it with the Rangers as they enter a scaled-back organizational phase in 2026. Perhaps Bochy felt that his energies would be better served bolstering a franchise moving in the opposite direction, which is what appeared to make him a fit for the 2026 Giants.

However, Posey's comments on Wednesday suggest that he isn't overly convinced about such a fit. Posey also mentioned that he has no idea what Bochy's plans are in terms of seeking another manager position elsewhere.

This is all music to Dodgers fans' ears, as a Bochy return to San Fran would have been one of the most eventful signings of the MLB offseason as it concerns the competitive outlook of the NL West.

There will be no Bochy renaissance in San Francisco; Los Angeles can breathe easy.