Giants' Tony Vitello Quotes Kanye West After First Win

The new Giants manager is already making headlines with his unfiltered comments.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:09pm by Ben Kaplan

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented baseball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange conveying the raw energy and motion of the sport.Vitello's unorthodox coaching style and pop culture references could inspire or distract the Giants as they look to turn around their slow start.San Francisco Today

In the aftermath of the San Francisco Giants' first win of the 2026 MLB season, new manager Tony Vitello made headlines again with some unconventional comments. Vitello, known for his outspoken and unfiltered style, cited lyrics from a Kanye West song to explain what he felt contributed to the team's early losses compared to their recent victory.

Why it matters

Vitello's penchant for making surprising and headline-grabbing statements has already become a talking point early in his Giants tenure. As the team looks to turn around their slow start, Vitello's unorthodox coaching style and willingness to reference pop culture figures like Kanye West could either inspire the players or create unnecessary distractions.

The details

After the Giants' first win of the season, Vitello was asked to explain the difference in the team's performance compared to their early losses. In his response, Vitello referenced lyrics from Kanye West's song "Can't Tell Me Nothing", saying "If you ask Kanye -- I think he's out with a new album -- if you try hard, you die hard. Strange fellow, but he don't miss much on the music, not that you asked." Vitello was attempting to convey that the Giants may have been trying too hard early on, leading to their struggles, but found more success by dialing back the intensity for their first victory.

  • The Giants earned their first win of the 2026 MLB season on March 31, 2026.

The players

Tony Vitello

The new manager of the San Francisco Giants, known for his outspoken and unfiltered coaching style.

Kanye West

An American rapper, songwriter, and record producer who Vitello referenced in his post-game comments.

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What they’re saying

“I really don't feel like there's been a tightness, like waiting for bad things to happen, or guys yelling at each other. I just think there's been an emotional charge of really wanting to do well. If you ask Kanye -- I think he's out with a new album -- if you try hard, you die hard. Strange fellow, but he don't miss much on the music, not that you asked.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager

The takeaway

Vitello's unfiltered coaching style and willingness to reference pop culture figures like Kanye West has already become a talking point early in his Giants tenure. As the team looks to turn around their slow start, Vitello's unconventional approach could either inspire the players or create unnecessary distractions, making his future impact on the team an intriguing storyline to follow.