MLB insider hints wild college outcome for Giants' Tony Vitello that would not be a surprise

MLB insider hints wild college outcome for Giants’ Tony Vitello that would not be a surprise originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The 2026 season for the San Francisco Giants has been a complete mess. While Luis Arraez has been a bright spot, and Bryce Eldridge looks great, the Giants are in a terrible spot as a team right now.

All but Logan Webb might be available for trade this summer, and the Giants are likely to be trade deadline sellers amid a disastrous first season for Tony Vitello in Major League Baseball.

Amid such a poor season, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale hinted that a wild outcome for Vitello with his MLB job and a potential return to college baseball “wouldn’t surprise” anyone after this year.

Giants’ Tony Vitello could return to college in a move that ‘wouldn’t surprise’ MLB insider

“It might be too embarrassing to fire Vitello after one year, but it wouldn’t surprise a soul to see Vitello return to the college ranks if the right opening comes his way,” Nightengale writes.

This would be a shocking outcome, yet Nightengale is noting that such a wild result after the 2026 season wouldn’t actually be a surprise.

Vitello could return to college baseball after a year in the Major Leagues, which hasn’t gone well at all for the first-time MLB manager.

The Giants are 40-55 on the season, 20.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, and only a few games ahead of the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in the National League.

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Considering the expectations and hope for this Giants team coming into the year, the struggles of the team and the poor record are only matched by the New York Mets in disappointment during the 2026 season.

The Giants are very likely to be major trade deadline sellers, and after such a season, Nightengale wouldn’t be surprised if Vitello returned to college baseball if the right opportunity comes up.

While the Giants might not want to fire Vitello after such a disastrous season to avoid further embarrassment, Vitello’s future is still very much in doubt with this college rumor and the struggles of the Giants this season.

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