It's been a wild Saturday already for Tennessee Vols fans everywhere and we're still waiting for kickoff against Alabama to get here. The reason there's even more worry on the table right now is because Ken Rosenthal has reported that Tony Vitello is finalizing a deal to leave Tennessee for San Francisco.
Tony Vitello set to leave Tennessee for the SF Giants in stunning turn of events
The Giants are looking for a new manager and seemingly out of nowhere, Vitello is potentially on the verge of taking the job. Not so fast? According to Knox News' Mike Wilson, Vitello spoke with his team on Saturday about the speculation and he also said that nothing has gotten done in terms of him taking the new role in the bigs. Has hope arrived that he'll stay after all?
Tony Vitello openly addressed the reports about his candidacy with the Giants with his players this afternoon following Tennessee's scrimmage.
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) October 18, 2025
He told Knox News after that "nothing is done" with the Giants https://t.co/VoNgk8yu8r
Tony Vitello said he is yet to offically accept the SF Giants manager job
The fact that Vitello said 'nothing is done' via Wilson is quite eye-opening. Has this opened the door for athletic director Danny White to meet with Vitello's reps and put a massive extension on the table for him? Maybe that will be enough to keep him in Knoxville.
There are a lot of unknowns right now, but what we do know via Rosenthal is that San Francisco appears to have Vitello at the top of their list when it comes to a new hire. We don't blame the SF front office for having such high interest in Vitello.
He joined the Vols in 2018 and has won more than 300 games ever since. His time on campus has of course been highlighted by helping Tennessee win the College Baseball World Series in 2024. The future is bright for this team and everyone wants Vitello to be a part of things.
The Giants have other plans, as they're hoping Vitello will say goodbye to Knoxville and hello to the Bay Area. In the coming days, we should find out where Vitello will be in 2026, but there's at least a chance for him to stay put and keep leading the Vols.