San Francisco Giants Hot Start Puts Manager Bob Melvin In Position to Make History

The National League West is baseball's best, loaded with four playoff-caliber teams. Few expected the San Francisco Giants to be on top of the division early in the year, which they are courtesy of their white hot 8-1 start.

Despite the Giants' early success, they only hold a half-game lead over both the San Diego Padres and the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco's ability to keep pace in MLB's best division is far from guaranteed, but their fast start gives them a better shot to make the postseason in the NL's ultra competitive Wild Card race.

A playoff berth could also put Giants' manager Bob Melvin in some rare air, as a postseason appearance would put him in NL Manager of the Year contention.

This award made it's debut in 1983 and its given to a manager in both the NL and American League every year. Melvin is one of nine Big League skippers to win the award at least three times.

Dusty Baker Jr., Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella, Joe Madden and current Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona join Melvin with exactly three Manager of the Year wins a piece.

Only three managers in history have won the award four times: Tony La Russa, Buck Schowalter and Bobby Cox. Melvin now has a path to join them at season's end.

The Dodgers are the defending champs and universally viewed as the best team in baseball. The Giants entered the year as a postseason contender, but it would be a surprise for most outside of the San Francisco Bay area if they win the NL West. If the Giants win their division, good chance Melvin becomes the fourth manager to tie the record.

If San Francisco gets into the postseason as a Wild Card, Melvin still has a shot to make history as the Giants have made the playoffs just once since 2017, with their lone appearance coming in 2021 during that span.

To add further relevance to Melvin's candidacy in that scenario, San Francisco has finished under .500 in each of the last two years. They are expected to be in the playoff mix, but actually getting in would be viewed as more of an accomplishment than the expectation.

That said, a Wild Card appearance opens the door for the manager of the NL Central winner to take down the biggest regular season accolade for Major League skippers.

Francona would also make history with four career Manager of the Year wins if he takes down the award this season. The Reds are off to a slow start at 3-7, but they entered the year as one of the primary contenders in the very winnable NL Central.

Melvin's biggest obstacle to making history is Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who has never won the award despite his noteworthy career.

The Cubs are off to a strong, NL Central leading 8-5 start.

Counsell benefits from the logical narrative that he deserves to finally win this award. If Chicago wins the NL Central, the Giants may need to win the NL West for voters to lean Melvin's way.

Ultimately, San Francisco's hot start has made their skipper a top-three contender for the NL Manager of the Year award. If the team continues to exceed expectations, Melvin could make history at season's end.