Giants first-year manager Tony Vitello is already receiving a chorus of criticism

San Francisco may have been singing his praises when they made history by hiring Tennessee Vols coach Tony Vitello, but that move has hit some sour notes so far

Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello (23) speaks to the media in the dugout before the game against the New York Mets at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Following on one of the most futile weekends in San Francisco Giants franchise history, the team is currently in the middle of a six-game losing streak, thanks to back-to-back sweeps. Their recent East Coast road swing produced a total of three extra-innings losses in the two series in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, respectively.

"We literally have nothing to show for the road trip," manager Vitello said after the Giants fell to the Rays. 2-1, in an extra-inning battle on Sunday. "You end the day searching for any positives."

Giants off to a 13-21 start in Tony Vitello's first season, tying the worst mark in the franchise's proud history. https://t.co/3uKv3f0gFy

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 4, 2026

With his team off to the worst start in franchise history, Giants fans are staring at Tony Vitello with the same wary eye that they upon him when he was gired. The franchise made the unprecedented move of hiring the 47-year-old from the college ranks - with no prior Minor League or Major League experience whatsoever.

There's no doubt that the young manager accomplished a lot in his tenure at the University of Tennessee. He led the Vols to the NCAA National Championship in 2024, but nothing in Knoxville prepared him for what he's dealing with right now. Needless to say, that's led to a lot of fingers being pointed in his direction... just a month into his MLB career.

Is Vitello not ready for prime time?

Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello, Knox News Sportsperson of the Year, poses for a portrait with the team's 2021 College World Series participant trophy at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. | Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While it's way too soon to be calling for the rookie skipper's head, Vitello is quickly gaining a reputation for being in over his head at baseball's highest level. His performance is not just a disservice to himself and the team; it hurts any other college coach who might be hoping to make the same transition that he did. Unfortuantely, this early litmus test is indicating that this move has been a miss.

Still, numbers don't lie. Under Vitello's watch, the Giants are last in MLB in runs scored this season with 106 in their first 34 games. They also rank last in on-base percentage and are 27th in slugging. Those feeble numbers are why San Francisco is one of the worst teams in baseball