Kapler serves suspension in opener vs. Atlanta
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ATLANTA -- Giants manager Gabe Kapler was fined an undisclosed amount and served a one-game suspension in the club¡¯s series opener against the Braves at Truist Park on Friday for returning to the dugout following his fourth-inning ejection during San Francisco's 7-0 win over the Rays on Tuesday.
It was Kapler¡¯s second time getting ejected this season and the seventh of his career.
¡°I violated the spirit of the rule, right,¡± Kapler said. ¡°The spirit of the rule is, manager goes up to the clubhouse [and] gets some street photos. [I] violated that by being around the dugout, in the dugout area.
¡°It's just kind of the competitor in me that made me want to be a part of the game.¡±
After the skipper was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, he returned to the dugout area in uniform and watched the game from a monitor in the batting cage, which is close to the dugout. He also had conversations with players and coaches.
¡°I'll be watching the game from the clubhouse [next time],¡± Kapler said. ¡°I'll be in the office with the door shut to make sure that no temptation sneaks in.¡±
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Kapler had jogged out of the dugout after home-plate umpire Chad Whitson called a high fastball, which appeared to be above the zone, a strike, putting outfielder Wade Meckler in an 0-1 hole in the bottom of the fourth.
¡°Obviously, I didn¡¯t think those were strikes in his first at-bat,¡± Kapler said postgame Tuesday. ¡°Wade didn¡¯t think they were strikes. I was obviously just irritated and reacted, but I really reacted on behalf of Meck, who deserves to be stood up for by all of us, all of the players and staff.¡±
Entering Friday, the Giants sit in second in the National League West -- 10 1/2 games behind the Dodgers -- and in the second NL Wild Card slot with a 1 1/2-game lead.
Bench coach Kai Correa and pitching coach Andrew Bailey both served as the interim manager against Atlanta. Correa handled offensive duties and interactions with the umpires while Bailey controlled the pitching. The Giants have lost four straight series (vs. the Athletics, Angels, Rangers and Rays) and eight of their past 11 games. They're looking to get back on track without their fourth-year manager.
¡°What I really need to do is take responsibility for it, trust some really good coaches to go out there and get us through the game today and trust really good players to go out there and perform,¡± Kapler said.