Analyzing Tony Vitello’s decision-making, regrets as Giants get swept by Yankees

SAN FRANCISCO — Tony Vitello spent the offseason playing catch up. Vitello had so much to learn about the Giants in so little time that he found himself squinting at times as he walked through the hallways at Scottsdale Stadium this spring. He would see a face and think he knew the corresponding name, but at times in the first few weeks, he couldn’t quite be sure. Vitello spent plenty of time talking to guys like Buster Posey and Sergio Romo about their experiences, but he didn’t have the time to do a deep dive into the details of the championship years in San Francisco. If he had, he might have discovered a little nugget that might help him more easily get through Sunday’s day off. Until Saturday, it had been 14 years since the Giants started a season with three consecutive losses. That 2012 team won the fourth game behind a stunning effort at Coors Field from Barry Zito, and of course, that group also went on to win a championship. Right now, Vitello would settle for his first win. Or maybe even just a first extended rally from his lineup.The Giants again came up well short Saturday, losing 3-1 to the New York Yankees to clinch a sweep at Oracle Park. For the first time in franchise history, they scored just one run through the first three games of a season. Saturday was at least a — small — step in the right direction. The Giants had nine hits after totaling just four through their first two games, but they hit into four double plays, including one from Patrick Bailey to end the game. The Yankees turn ANOTHER double play to seal the win and the sweep in San Francisco&excl; pic.twitter.com/GnqgEK3eu2 — FOX Sports: MLB (&commat;MLBONFOX) March 29, 2026 “Obviously we didn’t get the big hit again,” said Willy Adames, who went 1-for-11 with five strikeouts in the series. “These first three games haven’t gone the way we wanted them to, but that’s how baseball goes. Obviously we didn’t want to start the season like that, but we have a new series (in San Diego), a new day to start fresh and start rolling.”The Giants have a rare Sunday off day to think it all through, and they couldn’t ask for a better location. They headed to San Diego after Saturday’s game, but Vitello might not be able to fully enjoy the beach and tacos. Fair or not, Vitello might be the most scrutinized manager in baseball this season, at least early on. On Saturday, with his team flailing, there were a few decisions that stood out. The most notable moves came in the ninth, when Vitello used one of his bench players for the first time after 26 innings of just the starters. After Adames followed a walk with a single to left, Vitello sent pinch-runner Jared Oliva out to pinch-run at first. It was a decision that made a lot of sense. Oliva is the fastest player on the roster and one of the fastest in the big leagues, and that extra burst might have made a difference on a ball in the gap. Adames seemed surprised as Oliva jogged out to replace him and said later that he couldn’t remember ever being pulled for a pinch runner before. “I know he doesn’t want to come out of the game,” Vitello said. “You’d hate to have a regret that you’ve got the fastest guy I’ve been around and he’s sitting in the dugout.”That decision stood out in part because of the ones Vitello didn’t make. With two outs in the seventh, he left Jung Hoo Lee in to face lefty specialist Tim Hill. Lee struck out on three pitches. Teams generally don’t like to burn pinch-hitters with two outs, but Lee has a .599 OPS against lefties in the big leagues, and Hill held them to a .444 OPS last season. The Giants’ best shot Saturday might have been to use a right-hander against Hill and set up a matchup with Matt Chapman, even if there were two outs. Was there any thought of using someone like Jerar Encarnación?“No. Not at all,” Vitello said. “(Lee) is our guy. I think those guys had gotten a previous look at Hill (in this series). Obviously he’s really tough, but (Luis) Arráez was able to get to him and some guys in spring training, with a good approach, were able to have success against him. “He’s a weapon for them out of the ‘pen, but if things go well there and one more guy gets on base (in the ninth), you’ve got Jung Hoo on deck with the game on the line.”This is where it might get tricky for Vitello, who has never managed big leaguers before. It surely would have stunned Lee to hit for him in that spot, but it also makes you wonder why the Giants went with an all-righty bench if they’re not going to play the matchups in that specific situation. The biggest in-game question Vitello might face this season is with bullpen management, and for the most part that was seamless through three games. But there was one pitching decision Saturday that stood out, and with that one, Vitello admitted regret. Tyler Mahle was on a pitch count in his first start so Vitello turned to Ryan Borucki — his own lefty-killer — for a pocket of them in the fifth inning. Borucki got two quick outs, but then was allowed to pitch to Aaron Judge. An elevated cutter soon shot out of the ballpark, adding an insurance run. Vitello said that in that situation, the staff did consider intentionally walking Judge. “If we go back in time, now that we know the result, we would (walk him),” he said. “That was a consideration. We didn’t do it and he made us pay, which is why he’s pretty good. He’s more than pretty good.”Judge hit two homers in the series, outscoring the Giants all by himself. Aaron Judge leaves the yard in back-to-back games&excl; pic.twitter.com/WzKNCT4Soc — MLB (&commat;MLB) March 29, 2026 Given the talent on the other side, led by Judge, it wouldn’t have been too outlandish to predict a sweep to open the season. But the Giants never could have imagined this, not after they spent the last year and a half rebuilding the lineup. They’ll have an off day to try and shake it all off, and then Landen Roupp will try to do his best Zito impersonation at Petco Park. Zito threw a shutout in that fourth game of 2012, stunning even his teammates and manager Bruce Bochy, but there’s another part of that game that might be more instructive.The Giants scored seven runs that day. Life is a lot easier for everyone when your offense has that kind of performance.Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Analyzing Tony Vitello’s decision-making, regrets as Giants get swept by Yankees

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