n Tuesday October 21, 2025, news broke that the Los Angeles Angels are hiring Kurt Suzuki as their next manager, who was also a candidate to get the San Francisco Giants job.

Suzuki, 42, is a former catcher who played 16 big league seasons, making 1 All-Star game and winning the 2019 World Series championship with the Washington Nationals. Suzuki spent a good chunk of his playing career with the Oakland Athletics, then finished out his playing days with the Angels from 2021-22. He has served as a special assistant to the general manager for the Angels since 2023. He has no previous managerial experience. Suzuki was interviewed by the Giants for their managerial opening in early October. They have reportedly since decided that they want University of Tennessee manager Tony Vitello to be their next skipper — though Vitello has yet to agree to a deal. Giants fans believe news of a managerial hiring could come later today, because it is an off day between the league championship series and the World Series. That is likely why the Angels picked today to announce Suzuki as their next manager.

The Waiting Game For Vitello

News broke that the Giants were zeroing in on Vitello as their primary candidate on Saturday October 18, 2025. But the few days since have been agonizing and drama filled for Giants fans. The Giants have not announced a deal, and Vitello has continued to attend Tennessee practice and coach his current team in Knoxville. Giants beat reporter Andrew Baggarly remains adamant that it’s just a matter of if Vitello accepts the job or not. “The ball is in his court, this is the guy they’ve offered the job to,” Baggarly told Giants radio network KNBR.

The Giants will have to compensate Vitello generously. He currently has great money and job security in Knoxville – the second most lucrative contract in college baseball ($3 million per year) that would keep him at Tennessee until 2029. The Giants paid their previous manager Bob Melvin around $4 million year. Due to the difference in taxes/cost of living, the Giants will have to pay Vitello an estimated $6 million a year or more to entice him to leave the Volunteers. One financial sticking point between Tennessee and Vitello to monitor: there are rumors that Vitello is unhappy with the current NIL structure at Tennessee. The Giants, on the other hand, have shown a willingness to spend under Buster Posey. Vitello likely wouldn’t have much difficulty getting the talent he wanted.

The Albert Pujols Side Of Things

Another domino to fall from the Kurt Suzuki hire is that the Angels will not be hiring their former superstar first baseman Albert Pujols to be their manager. Pujols was the rumored favorite to land the Angels job for a while. SFGate Columnist Dave Tobener wrote a column for SF Gate around the end of September suggesting that the Giants should hire Pujols as their next manager.

If things with Vitello don’t work out, maybe the Giants will pivot to Pujols. Or, maybe if things with Vitello do work out, they will try to bring Pujols to San Francisco as a hitting coach. There is, of course, always the possibility that the Angels try to hire Pujols elsewhere on their staff. There is plenty still to figure out with this managerial carousel!Giants fans, how are you feeling about the manager search in San Francisco?