The San Francisco Giants have been swept in back-to-back series by the Arizona Diamondbacks. A 3-2 loss on Wednesday at Oracle Park was the latest setback, and the manner of the defeat made it particularly frustrating.
With the Giants down a run in the eighth inning, two baserunning mistakes ended the rally before it could begin. Manager Tony Vitello addressed it head-on Thursday morning and outlined a change in approach going forward.
Vitello Outlines Baserunning Plan
Manager Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants.
Willy Adames was thrown out at home plate by a wide margin trying to score from second base on a base hit in the eighth inning, representing the tying run. Luis Arraez was then picked off second base on the very next play to end the inning entirely.
It was a crushing sequence in a game the Giants could have tied. Speaking on KNBR’s Murph and Markus on Thursday morning, Vitello was direct about what needs to change.
He outlined a shift away from giving players a green light to make their own baserunning decisions and toward a more structured approach where the coaching staff takes ownership of those calls.
“Moving on from the green light and just having a flat-out steal sign was kind of the conversation,” Vitello said. “The green light is something that has probably been dished out pretty liberally… you’ve got the freedom to do what you want to do.”
Vitello made clear the Giants still want to stay aggressive. They just want that aggression to come with more direction from the dugout.
“We’d like to push the envelope a little bit and flat out take it off the players’ shoulders and put it more on ours,” Vitello said. “If you get thrown out, it’s our fault.”
The logic is straightforward. Removing the decision-making burden from players in high-pressure moments reduces hesitation and eliminates the kind of split-second mistakes that have cost the Giants runs this season.
The Numbers Paint a Concerning Picture for the Giants
GettyWilly Adames of the San Francisco Giants.
Wednesday’s eighth inning was not an isolated incident. San Francisco has run into 18 outs on the basepaths this season. That is tied for fifth-most in all of baseball according to Sportradar. They have attempted just 20 stolen bases all season, ranking dead last in MLB. Their 70 percent success rate ranks tied for 26th.
For a team sitting at 22-34, those numbers represent a significant missed opportunity. The Giants have struggled to generate offense consistently all season. Giving away outs on the basepaths when they do get runners on makes an already difficult situation harder.
Third Base Coach Under Scrutiny
The decision to send Adames home on Wednesday put third base coach Hector Borg under scrutiny again. It is not the first time this season. A late-game situation against the Phillies in April drew similar criticism after he held a runner many felt could have scored.
Vitello was asked directly whether he has considered a change at the position. He defended Borg, noting the organization valued him highly and did not want to lose him to another club.
What is changing is the approach. The green light system is being scaled back. More direct coaching decisions from the staff will replace it.
Final Word for the Giants
San Francisco is 22-34. The baserunning issues are one piece of a larger puzzle, but they are a fixable one.
Meanwhile, Vitello’s willingness to take the decision-making off the players and put it on the staff is an encouraging sign of accountability. Whether the results follow, however, is the question.
Either way, the Giants need everything to click. The basepaths are a start.
Giants’ Tony Vitello Makes Bold Decision After Diamondbacks Sweep