Report: Tony Vitello Takes Major Pay Cut to Be San Francisco Giants Manager

Tony Vitello took a major pay cut to leave the Tennessee Volunteers to become the next manager with the Giants?

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello smiles after a NCAA College World Series game between Tennessee and Florida State at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Volunteers baseball program lost their head man in charge on Wednesday as the news released that Tony Vitello is off to the MLB for a manager job to become the first college coach to jump directly from a college program to become a manager in the MLB.

The team that he left for is the San Francisco Giants. The Giants finished their MLB season with a record of 81-81, which isn't the worst record when it comes to what is out there, but still not where this program wanted to be at all. The Giants have a lot to offer, which is exactly why the baseball coach took the manager job. Although they have a lot to offer, money wasn't the deciding factor, as he took the job with a bit of a pay cut. In fact, a bit of a pay cut is an understatement. He took a major pay cut, according to new reports.

In a new report by Bob Nightengale, a USA Today columnist, the Tennessee baseball coach took a major pay cut compared to what he was making in his time coaching the Tennessee Volunteers program. Here is what the MLB reporter had to say in an X post that he made from his X account.

Bob Nightengale Confirms Vitello Took a Pay Cut

From left, Nate Stachey, president of Gibbs Youth Sports, chats with Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello, and Lesli Wallen and Kathleen Flaherty of the Morgan Wallen Foundation during a youth baseball camp at Gibbs Ruritan Park on Sept. 28, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Morgan Wallen Foundation announced an additional $50,000 donation to Gibbs Youth Sports after already donating $140,000 in 2024. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Tony Vitello, who was earning $3.3 million annually with salary and benefits, will be taking a paycut to manage the Giants in his new deal. The Giants also still owe fired Bob Melvin $4 million in 2026," said Nightengale when posting on his social media account.

Why is This The Case?

This is the case because this has never been done before. Sure, he might be an MLB manager, but he won't be paid like one. This is because there is no statistical data to point to, as once again, this is the first time that a college baseball coach has made a direct move to become an MLB manager before moving up to the MLB and being some type of assistant to begin with.

While he won't be paid the most amount of money in the first season he is with the Giants, that doesn't mean he won't get a bigger contract. The Tennessee Vols baseball coach will have plenty of room to grow in the MLB, as he is someone who could become one of the better managers in the league if things go as they did at Tennessee.

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