New San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello is reportedly close to making his first major addition to the team’s coaching staff. Former Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington is reportedly joining the Giants as the team’s infield coach, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Washington, 73, managed the Angels for two seasons before the team parted ways with him at the end of the 2025 season. He was limited to just 74 games with the team last season due to heart surgery. Washington intended to return for the 2026 season prior to his dismissal.
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While Washington’s tenure with the Angels didn’t go as planned — he had a .419 winning percentage over two seasons — he’s been a successful manager in the past. In eight seasons with the Texas Rangers, Washington posted a .521 winning percentage and led the team to two straight World Series appearances.
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With a managerial job not in the cards for Washington this offseason, he’ll revert back to coaching infielders. It’s a role Washington has mastered over his career. The longtime coach is considered one of the best — if not the best — infield gurus around. He’s been credited with turning around a number of fielders, with one of his biggest wins being Marcus Semien, who drastically improved his defense when he and Washington worked together with the Athletics.
Washington was also the “Wash” referenced in the “Moneyball” scene with Scott Hatteberg. And while that’s a fictionalized version of what happened, Washington was the team’s infield coach when Hatteberg made the transition from catcher to first base.
Also, apparently the scene in question wasn’t that fictionalized, as Washington said it played out similarly in real life.
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The move does provide some insight into how Vitello — who is making an unprecedented jump from college to the pros — wants the Giants to operate. He clearly values defense, and Washington already has some strong pieces to work with in San Francisco, including Matt Chapman and Willy Adames.
Adames and Chapman are among the players who don’t need a high level of attention from Washington, as they are already among the best defenders at their positions. Every other member of the Giants’ infield, however, is about to get a masterclass in defense from one of the game’s best defensive coaches.
