San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello is among the youngest skippers in the big leagues, which makes it less surprising that he sneaked in a Kanye West reference during an interview following his first-ever win as an MLB manager.
Vitello, 47, had a wild celebration with his team after the Giants’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif. That victory must feel so good for Vitello and the Giants, as it came after getting swept by the New York Yankees in a three-game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif.
Following the Padres game, Vitello addressed the team’s mood amid its rough start to the 2026 season, somehow even making Yeezus a topic.
“I really don’t feel like there’s been a tightness, like waiting for bad things to happen, or guys yelling at each other,” Vitello said, via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic.
“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.”
Vitello was right, though. Kanye just released a new album, “Bully,” which came four years after “Donda 2.”
As for the lyrics he referenced, it was from “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” a track from Kanye’s “Graduation” in 2007, when Vitello was still in his late 20s.
Vitello could have all of the lights on him if he successfully leads the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2021 in his first season on the job.
