SF Giants chairman discusses Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler's contracts
Chairman of the SF Giants Greg Johnson confirmed intent to keep president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and manager Gabe Kapler around for a bit longer in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser. Both Zaidi and Kapler have had their options picked up for the 2024 season and will be a part of the team through the end of next season.
"Farhan is going to be around, both of them, through next season, and nothing’s changed as far as our desire," Johnson said about the duo. "Farhan and I have been having discussions on what that rate format looks like for both of us... I don’t think there’s been any urgency. He feels very comfortable that we’re committed to getting it done, and I feel comfortable that he’s committed to staying."
When pressed by Slusser on if the same commitment is true for Kapler, Johnson was clear that it was. Zaidi and Kapler are both fairly recent additions to the Giants front office, Zaidi joining the franchise following the 2018 season, taking over for fired general manager Bobby Evans, and Kapler taking the reins from Bruce Bochy in 2020.
The two won Executive and Manager of the Year in 2021, respectively, for their 107-win season that unfortunately did not result in a sign of things to come. Given that Evans and Bochy had won three rings in one five-year stretch during their tenure–fans and pundits have been quick to criticize the Zaidi/Kapler duo's lack of output in comparison.
Five years into Farhan Zaidi's tenure (and four seasons into Gabe Kapler's), although one was the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, it seems like they both remain in good graces with ownership. It seems like chairman Greg Johnson is satisfied with the work they have done and remains adamant that an extension could be just around the corner. With that said, it would not be the first time ownership has lied to the media. Still, it seems like both will be key members of the SF Giants organization for years to come.
