Rafael Devers situation puts Tony Vitello's leadership to test

Rafael Devers’ on-field situation is being used to examine how Tony Vitello handles clubhouse accountability as a first-year manager, following a ninth-inning incident in Miami involving the Giants and Marlins. The article contrasts Devers’ refusal to come out for a pinch-runner—despite being the tying run and the slowest runner—with another earlier episode involving Willy Adames, who acted improperly in a loss to the Dodgers. Vitello said he does not plan to address Devers publicly because “we talk every day” and added he has “no problem with Rafi.” The piece also revisits a question posed to Vitello in May about whether he needed to hold Adames accountable, noting that Vitello defended him by saying dwelling on it was unnecessary. Buster Posey, who hired Vitello after a college championship run, expressed confidence that Vitello commands respect inside the clubhouse.