Gabe Kapler let Zach Littel take the eighth inning as the Giants took a three-run lead over the World Series champion Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park Monday night.
Unfortunately for Littel, Kapler and the Giants, nothing went right, leading to one of the weirdest moments of a disappointing 2022 season.
Littel allowed the first four Braves hitters to reach base, and Atlanta scored two in the process. He managed to pull off a timely double play, but by that point Kupler had seen enough and decided he needed left-handed pitcher Scott Alexander to take the lead against Matt Olson.
The 26-year-old thought differently and wanted to finish what he started. He informed Kapler, put the ball in the manager’s hand with force, and said something as he left the mound. Therefore, Kapler glared at Littel. The two then went into a tunnel next to the bargain to chat.
“I said I want Olson,” Rittell told reporters after the game about what he said to Kapler on the mound. “I didn’t pitch as good as I deserved. Any guy out there would want to finish the inning. That’s it. The frustration of not getting over it and never the frustration of it.” not. [Kapler]I was frustrated with myself and oh, it came out that way.”
After the Giants’ 3-2 victory defended by Alexander, Littel and Kapler spoke again in the manager’s office where everything was sorted out and resolved.
“That’s something I don’t want to reveal during the game,” Littel told reporters. “And we both knew it. We had a job to finish the game and get that last inning done. That was the priority. And after the game, I was I went in, apologized for my role, and moved on.”
Littel, who saw his ERA jump from 4.74 to 5.08 after allowing two runs in 2/3 innings against the Braves, made it clear his actions had nothing to do with what Kapler did. Did. It was all about what he could control.
Littel told reporters, “What happened tonight was purely out of self-dissatisfaction with my performance and came out in a way that was disrespectful to him and obviously that was not my intention. “So it’s my responsibility. We talked about it. I already went to his office. That’s it. I don’t want to walk away from what happened tonight. A game against a really good team.” Be a part of it and I can assure you, it will never happen again.
The Giants have had some bizarre moments this season, from a base-running blunder to a dugout incident where a bat kicked by Carlos Rodon hit Tyro Estrada’s leg. I did my best to control my emotions.
But Monday’s conversation was different. Despite how angry Kepler appeared on the field and in the dugout, his cool head prevailed after the game.
“I think Zach obviously wanted to stay in that game,” Kapler told reporters. I think I just wanted to.Obviously there’s a way to do it.Zack knows it.We’ve talked about it.He knows it when I come out.” To get the ball, he just has to put it in my hand, we’ll talk about that later, we’re opening the door for conversation as players enter and leave the game I’m happy to discuss those things with the players.” There’s a way to do that. I think Zach understands that.
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