KNOXVILLE, TN – March 11, 2025 – Head Coach Tony Vitello of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the West Georgia Wolves and the Tennessee Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Drew Garrison/Tennessee Athletics

Tony Vitello was present at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday morning as rumors swirl about Vitello and the San Fransisco Giants manager opening. Tennessee is scheduled to hold a practice and scrimmage Tuesday afternoon as fall practice rolls on.

Numerous MLB insiders, including The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, reported Saturday that the San Fransisco Giants were closing in on hiring Vitello as the club’s new manager.

According to reporting from KnoxNews Mike Wilson, Vitello told his team following Saturday’s scrimmage that he had not accepted the Giants job and that they would hear it from him first if he decided to leave Tennessee for professional baseball.

In the 72 hours since, it has been a waiting game. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Saturday that a decision on whether Vitello and the Giants would partner would come within the next 48-72 hours.

More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball Fall Scrimmage Notes And Stats From Oct. 20

Vitello has carried on with business as usual since the Saturday reports. He was at Tennessee baseball’s practices on Sunday and Monday as well as the Pat Summitt Foundation charity golf tournament on Monday morning. Of course, none of this means Vitello is not going to take the Giants job.

For now, Vitello is still Tennessee baseball’s head coach and he is performing the duties that come with that job. But Vitello not being at the facility would be a sign that he is leaving. While Vitello remains in Knoxville with no announcement about his future, the waiting game continues.

Vitello has completely rejuvenated a Tennessee program that had wandered in the wilderness for the 13 years prior to his arrival. During Vitello’s eight years as head coach, Tennessee has won two SEC Regular-Season and SEC Tournament championships, made the super regionals five times, made the College World Series three times and won the 2024 National Championship— the first in program history. The Vols are 341-131 since Vitello took over as head coach.

Tennessee has made it to the super regionals each of the last five years. No other program has made it to the super regionals more than three times in that stretch. LSU has won two of the last three national championships and is the only college program that’s been as good as Tennessee in recent years.