Two games into his managerial career in San Francisco, Tony Vitello is already pointing the finger at himself.

The Giants have been shut out in back-to-back games to open the 2026 season, and Vitello addressed the offense’s struggles with the media on Friday, taking responsibility for what he believes is a locker room that is pressing too hard.

“I’d kind of put it on me a little bit,” Vitello said. “Get all fire and brimstone a few days ago, and I think some good words were shared, but I also think, as of right now, it’s a little emotional in there, and there’s definitely a lot of try hard. So, regardless of what the root of it is, you guys know the guys in the lineup as well or better than I do. There’s guys that are fully capable in there, and at this point, the one argument again I’ll kind of use the bunch of dudes having a beer at a bar. The results or numbers look like there’s not a lot of try hard, but kind of the old baseball adage, there’s probably too much. And again, maybe that stems from that conversation prior to the season, or maybe it just stems from all the opening day fanfare being the home team, but regardless, everybody wants it to change.”

“As of right now, it’s a little emotional in there and there’s a lot of try hard.”

Tony Vitello blames himself for the lack of offensive production over two games, citing a need for the locker room to loosen up. pic.twitter.com/EasJ7PYkYg

— KNBR (@KNBR) March 28, 2026

The Giants have been held scoreless for 18 consecutive innings, failing to put a run on the board in either of their first two games. Vitello said he expected some lineup variants Saturday with a new pitcher on the mound.

“There’s also a pressing need in there for some feel-good and also to want to perform for the fans,” he continued. “If I had to guess, to be honest with you, I’d blame myself. So maybe it’s time to do what I can to ease any tension in there so guys can be free and go out there and play, because as I said, I think everybody that was on the field or in the stands knows those guys can play that were in that lineup.”

None of this is particularly surprising from a manager who has made clear since arriving in San Francisco that he has no filter and no interest in acquiring one. When Vitello spent a February press conference relitigating the media reports around his hiring — telling reporters the leak “might have changed the course of history” before walking it back the next day — Awful Announcing’s Sean Keeley wrote here that one wonders whether Vitello will talk himself into trouble when the criticism actually comes.

Two games in, the criticism hasn’t really arrived, but Vitello is already the story anyway.