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Gabe Kapler’s 200th career win comes with apt opponent and starting pitcher

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Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports


No other manager has been 200-200. And so it was fitting that Gabe Kapler clinched an odd (and even) bit of history in unique fashion.

He met at the Citizens Bank Park home plate for the lineup exchange and appeared to be largely booed by Phillies fans who had watched him manage for two seasons before he was fired, before he landed with his old friend Farhan Zaidi in San Francisco. Over his shoulder was the Phillie Phanatic, who was playfully mocking the fit manager with sit-ups.

He watched Kevin Gausman skillfully dance around landmines for six innings, then pushed the right buttons in a depleted bullpen to scratch out a 2-0 victory against the team with whom he won his first 161 games.

He certainty felt more relief and joy at showing Philadelphia what it no longer had, even if he won’t admit as much — “My feelings are just focused on doing a good job with the San Francisco Giants.” — but he still found a way to keep a sweet taste in his mouth following his milestone victory in a place he used to call home.

“We had some coaches and some players come into the office and we had a drink together,” Kapler said over Zoom.

Included in that group was Gausman, who has very much become a face for what Zaidi and Kapler (and GM Scott Harris) want to do in San Francisco. He had talent that had not been fully tapped into and brought it over to an organization that prides itself on development. Gausman cashed in on the improvements by taking an $18.9 million qualifying offer this offseason, and now may be able to turn that into a much bigger pact.

He did not have his best stuff, but still scattered six hits and four walks in shutting down Philadelphia through six innings. It was an outing worth celebrating, and then he saw a celebration that didn’t include him.

“I just saw a big group going in [Kapler’s office], and there were some glasses being held up,” the 30-year-old said after lowering his ERA to 2.45. “And so I was like, ‘What are we celebrating?’ I had no idea.

“Happy that I got to be a part of it. It’s a big win for him — first time coming back to Philly, and so it was a good way to set the tone for this series.”

It’s a good way to end the tone for Kapler’s time in Philadelphia, even if he is bound to be showered with boos for a few more days. It’s a good way to continue the tone for Gausman’s run alongside Kapler in San Francisco, which has become a haven for pitchers who want their stuff and results maximized.

“Gausman really, really contributed,” Kapler said. “He’s really helped us win baseball games that I’ve been a part of.”


Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Curt Casali is the first Giants catcher to catch shutouts in four consecutive starts since Broadway Aleck Smith on May 6-24, 1901. It was a big day for Aleck/Alex Smiths in San Francisco.


The Giants’ offense was provided by Brandon Belt, who homered to right and is now 4-for-12 with two homers and two doubles in his past three games. The bats have been cold, but his is heating up.

“It seems like there’s probably four or five guys that are just about ready to start tearing it up at the plate,” Belt said. “I think once we get our offense going — we know it’s going to be good this year — so once we get it going, we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”