The MLB moment that Tennessee Vols fans have been waiting for is finally happening for Tony Vitello this week
Former Tennessee Vols baseball coach Tony Vitello in his first season as the manager of the San Francisco Giants. It’s also VItello’s first season in the big leagues after spending his entire career at the college level.
A moment that many Tennessee Vols fans have been waiting on is finally set to happen for Tony Vitello this week.
Vitello, the head coach at Tennessee from 2018 to 2025, in his first season as the manager of the San Francisco Giants.
The former Tennessee coach is the first coach in the modern era to make the jump from college directly to MLB.
A big reason why the marriage between Vitello and the Giants happened is believed to be because of former Vols outfielder Drew Gilbert, who was traded by the New York Mets to San Francisco last summer.
Gilbert played for Vitello at Tennessee from 2020 to 2022.
“Honestly, what I knew was Drew Gilbert — and I don’t know if any of this happens without Drew Gilbert, I really don’t,” said The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly last fall (via SFGate). “That is one of the questions I’d be really interested to ask Buster, if this does end up culminating in a press conference to introduce Tony Vitello as their next manager. How much did what Drew Gilbert did to the clubhouse, to the dugout, to enliven everything, bring some spirits and energy, how much did that sort of make you wake up and think, ‘You know, maybe that’s what this organization really needs. Maybe that’s what this clubhouse really needs.’”
Vitello referenced Gilbert in the message he issued to Vols fans after taking the job in San Francisco.
“By now, you all know I officially accepted a position to babysit Drew Gilbert,” said Vitello to open the statement.
“Tennessee is a special place, and he kind of built that from dirt,” said Gilbert last October after Vitello accepted the San Francisco job. “So I’m assuming it wasn’t the easiest thing for him to depart from a situation like that no matter how good the job is. It’s mixed emotions, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t super, super excited to get this thing going. I feel I could get rolling now.”
Drew Gilbert was sidelined to start the season
Gilbert made his MLB debut after getting traded to the Giants last season, but he didn’t break camp with the team to start the 2026 season due to a shoulder injury.
The former Vol, though, was called up by the Giants on Wednesday.
Gilbert provided quite a spark for the Giants last season upon his arrival — thanks to his dugout shenanigans.
The Giants are off to a sluggish start this season. Maybe the return of Gilbert will provide another spark for the team.
San Francisco, by the way, is currently in Cincinnati for a series against the Reds.
Former Vol Chase Burns, who finished his college career at Wake Forest, will start against the Giants on Thursday in Cincy.