The San Francisco Giants were aiming to try something different in hiring Tony Vitello as the first manager to transition from college baseball directly to the major leagues. Yet this was not what they had in mind.
After losing all six games on a journey to Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, the Giants have equaled their worst start in franchise history – 13-21 – at this juncture. Their first winless six-game trip since 2022 included zero home runs and three walk-off losses in sweeps by the Phillies and Rays.
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And now the Giants have matched the five-week dumpster fires produced by their 1984 and 1950 brethren – the ’84 squad firing Hall of Famer Frank Robinson after a 42-64 start.
The Giants won’t do the same with Vitello, whose three-year contract guaranteeing him more than $10 million is in its infancy. Yet the grim start has certainly exposed significant flaws in roster structure – the sort of thing a managing wizard like Bruce Bochy would be challenged to solve, let alone a newbie like Vitello.
How bad has it been? Let’s explore:
Willy Adames is in the second year of the biggest free agent contract in franchise history.
Giants offense: Worst in baseball
Fewer management duos are under greater pressure than New York Mets baseball ops president David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza and indeed, a club with a $765 million left fielder and a $358 million payroll ranks last in the majors with a .630 OPS.
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But for smallest bang for your buck, don’t sleep on Buster Posey.
The future Hall of Fame player and franchise legend has burned significant capital on a pair of hitters who have dragged the entire lineup down. Shortstop Willy Adames, signed to the biggest free agent contract in franchise history (seven years, $182 million) is now batting .195 with a .235 on-base percentage, the latter number particularly startling given that Adames served as the club’s leadoff batter 23 times, nearly six times more than the nearest teammate.
Adames, now in his second year in San Francisco, has slumped his way down to the six hole. The Giants haven’t yet taken such measures with slugger Rafael Devers, whom they ostensibly stole from the bumbling Red Sox 11 months ago but still are waiting for the three-time All-Star, not the bewildered first baseman, to show up.
The Giants assumed some $250 million in salary in the Devers deal, and he’s scuffling along with a .214 average, two homers and a .257 OBP; both he and Adames haven’t been the same producers since leaving their hitter-friendly prior homes in Boston and Milwaukee. Sometimes that happens.
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But that doesn’t excuse the failures of the rest of the roster.
San Francisco ranks last in the majors in home runs and runs scored (a paltry 3.1 per game), last in walks and 29th in OPS. The club ran out of some patience with Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey’s anemic bat (.152/.221/.190, adjusted OPS of 20) but an injury to Daniel Susac ended that time share.
Luis Arraez has not disappointed as a hits machine and has even improved his defense at second base. But Giants right fielders have hit just two home runs and their center fielders – mostly the now-injured Harrison Bader and Vitello’s former Tennessee sparkplug Drew Gilbert – have combined for a .183/.221/.287 slash.
The black holes in the lineup means the wonderfully surprising start from first baseman Casey Schmitt – .308, 13 extra-base hits, an .873 OPS – and serviceable work from Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman has gone to waste.
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Imagine what happens when those guys get in a slump.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider interacts with fans during game against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 17, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Washington Nationals right fielder Daylen Lile attempts to catch a ball hit for a single by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum during the first inning at PNC Park on April 16, 2026. The Nationals won the game, 8-7.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gary Sanchez wears a special chest protector to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at American Family Field on April 15, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 13: The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz celebrates a home run in the dugout while wearing a welder’s hood during the 16-5 win over the Washington Nationals at PNC Park.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 12: Philadelphia Phillies mascot, The Phanatic, entertains fans with local team mascots for a birthday celebration before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 11: The Tampa Bay Rays’ Jonathan Aranda (left) celebrates with Ryan Vilade after hitting a walk-off single against the New York Yankees in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win at Tropicana Field.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramirez acknowledges the fans after becoming the team’s all-time leader in games played against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 6, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A rainbow appears during the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 6, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A fan dresses as the Pope claps during the first inning of the game between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field on April 5, 2026. The White Sox won the game, 3-0, to complete a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin celebrates with a traffic cone after making his major-league debut in a 5-4 defeat of the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 3, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A young Red Sox fan meets Tessie the Boston Red Sox mascot before the Red Sox’s home opener against the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park on April 3, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) and center fielder Jakob Marsee celebrate a victory against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park on April 1, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Fans try to catch a solo home run hit by the San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman as San Diego Padres left fielder Nick Castellanos looks on during the third inning at Petco Park on March 31, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Philadelphia Phillies mascot The Phillie Phanatic entertains fans during the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on March 31, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Toronto Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto gets doused with ice water by teammates after a win over the Athletics at Rogers Centre on March 29, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Cincinnati Reds’ Eugenio Suárez blows a bubble as he waits to bat against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The St. Louis Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt is doused with water by teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the 10th inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Fans react as the Milwaukee Brewers’ Jake Bauers homers against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field on March 26, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.
The road trip from hell
It was just six games, not a three-city odyssey. Yet the psychic weight of three walk-off losses – all of them coming after the Giants blew one-run leads in the eighth or ninth innings – takes a greater, immeasurable toll.
Quasi-closer Ryan Walker blew two of the leads, almost inexplicably throwing eight straight sinkers to the Phillies’ Bryson Stott before Stott finally clocked one for a game-tying triple. And the Phillies made history, becoming the first team to sweep a doubleheader on a pair of walk-offs.
One victory was aided by third-base coach Hector Borg’s egregious non-send of Gilbert, the 10th-inning automatic runner, on a ball that leaked slowly into the outfield off Stott’s glove. In the 10-inning loss in Tampa Bay, the Giants couldn’t move the courtesy runner an inch.
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The 0-6 trip was sealed when Vitello intentionally walked Rays slugger Junior Caminero to pitch to the AL’s RBI leader, and Jonathan Aranda sent them quickly to the team bus.
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(Salaries in present-day value calculated by MLB Labor Relations Department, impacted by deferrals and signing bonuses)
1. Juan Soto, Mets – $61,875,000
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(Salaries in present-day value calculated by MLB Labor Relations Department, impacted by deferrals and signing bonuses)
1. Juan Soto, Mets – $61,875,000
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2. Cody Bellinger, Yankees – $42,500,000
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3. Bo Bichette, Mets – $42 million
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3. Zack Wheeler, Phillies – $42 million
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5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays – $40,214,286
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6. Aaron Judge, Yankees – $40 million
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7. Anthony Rendon, Angels – $38,571,429
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8. Jacob deGrom, Rangers – $38 million
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9. Mike Trout, Angels – $37,116,667
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10. Gerrit Cole, Yankees – $36,000,000
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11. Jose Altuve, Astros – $33 million
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11. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers – $33 million
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13. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers – $32,500,000
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14. Francisco Lindor, Mets – $32,477,277
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15. Tarik Skubal, Tigers – $32 million
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16. Carlos Correa, Astros – $31,500,000
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16. Corey Seager, Rangers – $31,500,000
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18. Sonny Gray, Red Sox – $31 million
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19. Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks – $30,790,069
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20. Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees – $29 million
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21. Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers – $28,536,643
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22. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers – $28,206,684
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23. Dansby Swanson, Cubs – $28 million
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24. Carlos Rodon, Yankees – $27,833,333
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25. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (*retired) – $27,814,045
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26. Bryce Harper, Phillies – $27,538,462
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27. Trea Turner, Phillies – $27,272,727
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28. Blake Snell, Dodgers – $27,152,056
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29. Kris Bryant, Rockies – $27 million
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30. Yordan Alvarez, Astros – $26,833,333
Tony Vitello: Trying to get comfortable
That sequence was fairly emblematic of Vitello’s tenure so far: A pick-your-poison scenario where he chose to pitch around the powerful Caminero only for the clutch Aranda to come through.
Posey didn’t exactly equip his first-year manager with a proven bullpen, but Vitello has done well to get outs from the likes of Caleb Kilian and Matt Gage, lean heavily on Keaton Winn’s nasty splitter and hope for the best from Walker, who has lost the closer’s job before.
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Of course, 50-50 bullpen calls will happen with any manager. Vitello has worked to engender trust and enthusiasm from the clubhouse, yet from a distance, his presence seems proportionally diminished compared to the swaggering dude in Knoxville.
When umpires at Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field blew a call that resulted in Heliot Ramos’s 424-foot catwalk-striking shot called a flyout instead of a home run, it was Frank Anderson – Vitello’s former pitching coach at Tennessee and now the Giants’ director of pitching – who got ejected, along with Adrian Houser, who was not pitching that day.
Far be it from us to order up a shot of eyewash from a manager, but when a run-starved club that’s about to go 0-5 on a road trip sees a home run stolen from them, it should probably be the manager, not the 67-year-old director of pitching, who gets tossed.
That fire will almost certainly emerge as the season grows longer. For now, there’s not much the Giants can do to help the guy, other than promote slugger Bryce Eldridge – he and catcher/third baseman Jesus Rodriguez are on the way from Sacramento, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported – or rearrange some furniture on the coaching staff.
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The good news for the Giants? The entirety of the NL West went 6-24 this week. The bad news is they have the worst run differential in the division (minus-34), one of several vital signs that portend a grim final 128 games.
Or perhaps they’ve reached bottom now. Last week certainly looked like it.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants’ ugly start: Hopeless lineup has San Francisco making bad history
