The Giants were planning on filling their general manager vacancy quickly, and have done so.
Pete Putila, 33, will assume the role as Farhan Zaidi’s right-hand man, the club announced Monday night. Putila spent the last three seasons as the Houston Astros’ assistant general manager.
“We’re all excited to have Pete joining our Baseball Operations leadership team”, Zaidi said in a statement. “Pete has a stellar reputation in the industry as a creative thinker and strong collaborator, and we view him as a seamless fit with our culture of embracing a growth mindset on and off the field. We’ve prioritized player development up to and including the major leagues, and Pete’s experience and thought leadership in this space will be a tremendous asset as we continue to strengthen our talent pipeline and build a sustainable winner in San Francisco.”
Zaidi, SF’s president of baseball operations, said last week that the Giants hoped to hire a new GM “relatively quickly,” preferably before the November winter meetings. He said a “fresh perspective” could be helpful for approaching the offseason.
Putila will be the club’s 10th general manager since the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958. Scott Harris, who left for the top job in Detroit, most recently held the position.
Putila was a finalist for the Giants’ GM position in 2019, which ultimately went to Harris.
Originally from Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, Putila graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in sport management. He began his front office career in 2011 as a baseball operations intern with Houston, working his way up the organization.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity and I look forward to collaborating with Farhan and the leadership team,” Putila said in a statement. “I am both humbled and eager to continue building the winning culture our fans expect and deserve.”
