3 candidates SF Giants can fall back on if Tony Vitello deal falls through

The SF Giants are reportedly trying to close a deal with University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello to make him the next manager of the Giants. However, we have not heard of a deal getting finalized yet which suggests it may not be a done deal.

For the sake of president of baseball operations Buster Posey, he has to be hoping a deal gets done. Otherwise, he will have major egg on his face with it being so heavily reported that the Giants want Vitello only for them to get rebuffed by him.

It is far from a given that he will leave his cushy and well-paid job at Tennessee for a big league manager role.

If that happens, the Giants will need contingency plans in place so they can pivot to a new candidate. Here are three candidates who make the most sense.

3 managerial candidates SF Giants can fall back on if they do not land Tony Vitello

Brandon Hyde

Formerly the manager of the Baltimore Orioles, Hyde has had success as a big league manager. He led the team to 101 wins in 2023 and won AL Manager of the Year honors. However, after a rough start to 2025 he was fired.

Hyde is a Santa Rosa native so he has ties to the Bay Area. The Giants have already talked to Hyde, but it is unclear whether this was for the open managerial role or some other position like bench coach.

He would represent a younger option than Bob Melvin at the age of 52 so he could be a relatively safe, if not all that exciting, choice.

Kurt Suzuki

Nick Hundley was reportedly Posey’s first choice for the manager job but he backed out due to family reasons. If Posey would still like a former big league catcher as his next manager, Kurt Suzuki could be an option. He reportedly interviewed with the Giants early in the process and he may interview for the open position with the Los Angeles Angels.

He has no coaching experience at the big league level, but at the age of 42 he would represent a clear age and energy shift in the clubhouse.

Ron Wotus

Probably the safest of safe choices would be Ron Wotus. He is probably the most universally respected Giants coach in recent memory outside of Bruce Bochy. Wotus was with multiple Giants coaching staffs and was the team’s bench coach for years and years.

He would not represent the generational and energy shift that the Giants are probably looking for, but he would still command the respect of everyone in the clubhouse and would not be a controversial hire.

Of course, this could all be moot if the Giants are able to work something out with Vitello and he becomes the next manager. But if things fall through, the Giants could fall back on one of these options.