SAN FRANCISCO — The Tony Vitello era in San Francisco isn’t exactly off to a hot start.
The Giants weren’t just swept by the New York Yankees to begin Vitello’s managerial tenure, but outclassed in every facet of the game. The offense, in particular, was a lowlight, scoring just one run and 12 hits over their first three games of the season.
“These first three games haven’t gone the way that we wanted to, but that’s how baseball goes,” shortstop Willy Adames said after Saturday’s 3-1 loss, turning the page to Monday’s first road game in San Diego. “Obviously, we don’t want to start the season like that, but we have a new series, new day to start fresh and start rolling.”
Vitello is a curiosity in the baseball industry, and for good reason. He’s the first of his kind, going straight from college to the pros, and a leap of that magnitude brings with it enhanced attention as to how he runs his team. Vitello’s first three games should be taken with a grain of salt, but what most stood out against New York is that Vitello almost went the entire series without utilizing his bench.
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello talks to players in the dugout before their MLB game against the Sultanes de Monterrey at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Vitello didn’t go to his reserves during Wednesday’s Opening Night, nor did he do so during Friday’s Opening Day. He went through the first eight innings on Saturday with just his starters as well, but finally called on the bench in the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday’s 3-1 loss when he had Jared Oliva pinch-run for Adames.
Adames appeared somewhat surprised when Oliva jogged out to replace him, saying postgame that he couldn’t remember ever being pulled for a pinch runner, but the move made strategic sense. While Adames has above-average speed, Oliva is by far the Giants’ fastest position player.
The move is also noteworthy because Vitello showed a willingness to remove one of the Giants’ foundational players in favor of someone who gives San Francisco a better chance of winning the game in a specific scenario. It’s exactly the type of tough decisions that Vitello will have to make if he and the Giants are going to succeed.
On the flip side, Vitello’s decision to pull Adames followed another decision to stick with a starter in the bottom of the seventh. With the Yankees’ left-handed specialist Tim Hill on the mound, Vitello opted to keep the left-handed hitting Jung Hoo Lee in the ballgame instead of calling on a pinch-hitter.
Lee had a career .599 OPS against lefties entering Saturday, and Hill held left-handed hitters to a .444 OPS last season. Jerar Encarnacion was available, but Vitello stuck with Lee, who struck out looking.
There’s an argument that keeping Lee in the game was the right move since there were two outs in the inning with no one on base in a two-run deficit. What’s most notable, though, is that Vitello said there was no consideration to going to his bench, which is composed strictly of right-handed hitters.
“No, not at all. (Lee) is our guy,” Vitello said. “I think those guys had gotten a previous look at Hill. Obviously he’s really tough, but (Luis) Arráez was able to get to him and some guys in spring training, with a good approach, were able to have success against him.”
There was another move that stung Vitello on Saturday: letting a left-handed reliever go after the best hitter in the game.
Lefty Ryan Borucki entered in the top of the fifth to handle a pocket of left-handed hitters — with Aaron Judge in between. Borucki retired the first two left-handed batters, striking out Austin Wells and getting Trent Grisham to fly out. When Judge stepped to the plate with the left-handed hitting Cody Bellinger on deck, it would’ve made sense if Vitello ordered Borucki to pitch around the three-time MVP.
San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 is congratulated by manager Tony Vitello after scoring on a single by Matt Chapman #26 in the third inning of their MLB game against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, March 28, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Vitello made no such order. Borucki elevated a cutter and Judge sent it over the left-field fence, hitting the top of an ambulance.
“If we go back in time, now that we know the result, we would (walk Judge),” Vitello said. “That was a consideration. We didn’t do it and he made us pay, which is why he’s pretty good. He’s more than pretty good.”
The Giants never led in the series, so Vitello didn’t get to deploy his bullpen in a late-game situation with a lead to protect, but the early returns from the relievers are reason for encouragement.
With off days on Thursday and Sunday, Vitello used all eight relievers at least once. Over 12 2/3 innings, San Francisco’s bullpen allowed just two runs and totaled 13 strikeouts.
Along with all that occurred between the lines, Vitello had his first interesting postgame moment when he shouldered part of the blame for the Giants’ first two losses of the season. Vitello referred to how he made an impassioned “fire and brimstone” speech days before the game, one that he believes resulted in emotions running “a little too high.”
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello signs autographs for fans after their MLB win against the Sultanes de Monterrey at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Vitello’s players appreciated the sentiment but didn’t believe his remarks were necessary.
“We’re all major league players. I think that we can handle it,” said left-hander Robbie Ray. “We can handle the ups and downs. It’s just one of those things that has happened the first two games. It’s not ideal. Like I said, you got 160 games left, so what are you going to do with it?”
“It’s the start of the season,” said Heliot Ramos on Friday. “We just have to get going. We just have to try to keep executing and play our game.”
The Giants didn’t execute in San Francisco. In San Diego, they’ll have three more opportunities to get Vitello his first major league win.
San Francisco Giants Tony Vitello and San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adams (2) hug during Opening Night against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)