The San Francisco Giants’ 2026 season has gone sideways in almost every way imaginable, but the biggest surprise may come after the final out is recorded. Despite a 55-79 record, a pile of injuries, and a trade deadline sell-off that stripped away key pieces, Sports Illustrated’s Karl Rasmussen is projecting that Tony Vitello will survive the mess and return as the club’s manager in 2027.
That would be a notable show of patience from a team that has spent much of the year near the bottom of the league. Vitello’s first season in San Francisco has been rocky from the start, and with August winding down, there hasn’t been much to suggest a turnaround is coming.
Still, Rasmussen believes the Giants may be willing to give their first-year MLB manager more time to settle in. “He didn't inherit the greatest situation in San Francisco, and while it's been a fairly disappointing season, he'll likely be given a long leash as he finds his footing in MLB,” Rasmussen writes.
Normally, a team carrying a roster this expensive and a record this poor might not hesitate to make a change. But Vitello’s own contract adds another layer to the decision, and the Giants may be inclined to let him take another crack at it after such a difficult introduction to the big leagues.
The idea would be simple enough: let 2026 serve as the learning year, then hope Vitello can help steer the franchise back toward contention in 2027. San Francisco still has a strong core, and the club also added some high-quality prospects in the deadline deals that sent out Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray, and Heliot Ramos.
So while firing Vitello would not be a shock, keeping him around would not exactly qualify as a stunner either. The slightly unexpected part is that, after a season this rough, the Giants may decide the better move is to stay the course.
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Giants Lost Season Leaves Tony Vitello With One Crucial September Call
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Bryce Eldridge and Drew Gilbert are among the players seeing extended playing time as the Giants try to separate future pieces from placeholders. The broad evaluation is straightforward enough, but it still leaves Vitello with one meaningful call to make: which of these young bats and outfield options can justify a bigger role when the offseason roster decisions arrive. [Read more 🡒]