The 2026 Major League Baseball season has been anything but kind to the San Francisco Giants, and the end of it cannot come soon enough for them.

What was supposed to be a marathon year wrapped in playoff hopes under President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey and new manager Tony Vitello has seen the Giants limp their way through it instead. Things got out of control early, and the organization never reached the .500 mark, let alone a winning record at any point.

Despite all the doom and gloom, however, there is still cause for optimism.

In The Athletic's recent installment of its weekly power rankings, the Giants remained stuck at No. 27, but this ranking featured an endorsement of what might be on the horizon for the club: A good MLB Trade Deadline grade.

The Athletic issued San Francisco a B for its efforts at last month’s deadline, citing how scouts were impressed by Posey’s acquisition of prospects. For Posey, who chose to trade players such as Luis Arraez, Heliot Ramos, and Robbie Ray, the indication was that he acknowledged that the current iteration of the team is not working.

Some players, like Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, remain, but with Bryce Eldridge putting himself on the map and other prospects beginning to prove themselves, there is a foundation being built for another direction to be taken.

Perhaps this is not what Giants fans want to hear, and who could blame them? San Francisco has posted a winning season only once since the turn of the decade, when it notched an impressive 107 wins during the 2021 season. 

That was the final season of Posey’s illustrious career as the Giants’ catcher. Almost immediately thereafter, his next chapter with the organization came in a partial ownership role with a spot on the board of directors.

As an executive, Posey has yet to prove himself, and that has drawn criticism and tension alike. But his actions at the Deadline demonstrate a level of accountability and a willingness to look ahead. 

As The Athletic mentioned, the past weekend was spent on nostalgia and living in the past, as Jeff Kent’s number was retired. Yet the future is shaping up to be optimistic, even if it still has several unknowns. 

Perhaps Posey and Vitello are not the right guys for the job, or maybe they just need a little more time. Success does not always come quickly, but acknowledging that there is a problem is the first step, and building toward a better organizational future can now begin.