SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants speaks to the media in the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
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The San Francisco Giants entered the 2026 season hoping that a new voice in the dugout could help spark a playoff run. Instead, the club has spent much of the summer buried near the bottom of the National League standings, fueling speculation about the franchise's direction.
That disappointing performance has intensified scrutiny on first-year manager Tony Vitello, who made the jump from the college ranks amid considerable fanfare but without any major-league experience of any kind. And as losses have mounted, questions have emerged about whether the Giants' struggles stem from his leadership.
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But a former Giants star, who won three World Series championships with the team during its latest dominant run, believes the ire pointed at Vitello is unfounded.
“You’ve got Vitello coming in, first time as a manager, and they’re like, ‘Oh, if they do bad, we can just crush the manager,’ like he’s the problem,’” Jeremy Affeldt, who spent seven years pitching for the Giants, said during a recent appearance on Foul Territory. “He’s not the problem… He can’t go out there and do it all for you.”
Affeldt’s defense of Vitello came at a key time for the team, as trade speculation has intensified around a Giants club that could be headed toward a fire sale.
“According to reports Tuesday from Buster Olney of ESPN and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, San Francisco has begun to listen to offers for (Matt) Chapman as well as its other two underperforming infielders signed to long-term contracts, Rafael Devers and Willy Adames,” Evan Webeck reported for the New York Post. “Vitello looks to be managing a seller in his first year navigating a major-league trade deadline… It should come as no surprise that the Giants, behind every team besides the (Colorado) Rockies in the National League, would be looking to try to acquire future assets for players on short-term deals, such as Robbie Ray and Luis Arraez.”
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Affeldt acknowledged that the change in strategy is all but inevitable when considering the club's long-term outlook.
“They’re obviously so far behind now, they’re probably going to have to rebuild at some point,” he added on Foul Territory.
The coming weeks may ultimately determine whether the Giants make just modest adjustments to the roster at the August trade deadline or fully embrace that rebuild with a more dramatic fire sale.
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