Coaching Changes for the Giants

MILWAUKEE — Hector Borg’s tenure as the Giants’ third base coach was short-lived, and it seems that his interim successor, Ron Wotas, might not stick around for long either.

Currently, the Giants are in discussions with Gary Pettis to take over as the third base coach, marking a third different coach in just a few months for rookie manager Tony Vitello, according to Major League Baseball officials.

While Bob Nightengale from USA Today indicates there may be an agreement between teams, the Giants haven’t made any official announcement yet. This suggests that Vitello’s situation is still somewhat unsettled.

“We’re definitely close,” Vitello commented before the Giants kicked off a four-game series against the Brewers. “It had some twists and turns.”

Pettis, 68, is an experienced third base coach, having spent a decade with the Astros under various managers before not having his contract renewed after the 2024 season. Prior to that, he worked with the Rangers for eight seasons, coaching first and third bases under Ron Washington.

A native of Oakland, Pettis might be recognized by local sports enthusiasts, especially since one of his four kids is Dante Pettis, a former 49ers receiver. Interestingly, he also has a background as a player, having spent 11 seasons in the majors as an outfielder for teams like the Angels, Tigers, Rangers, and Padres.

Before their recent road trip beginning with a series against the Rockies, the Giants reassigned Borg to a player development position and elevated Wotas to the coaching role.

Borg, who has been involved in the major leagues for 20 years and was in his first season on a major league staff, found himself in the spotlight for some not-so-great reasons. The pivotal moment seemed to come during a loss to the Diamondbacks, where he made a controversial call throwing Willie Adames out at home plate.

Despite putting emphasis on spring training, the Giants currently have the lowest base running percentage in the majors according to FanGraphs’ metrics. By Monday, they had made 18 throws on base, which ranks ninth among all teams, including seven at home plate.

Wotas, who has been with the organization for a long time, took on the role of third base coach for the first time during a game in Denver on Friday, continuing until their series with the Brewers. Even though he’s a senior advisor and typically in the dugout for home games, he hasn’t regularly traveled with the team since he stepped back from full-time coaching in 2021.