It notably takes a lot for Giants manager Gabe Kapler to get ejected from a ballgame. He rarely feels the need to get into heated exchanges with umpires, claiming that most ejections are just for show.
But on Thursday, umpire Phil Cuzzi clearly struck a nerve with Kapler. And you know what — Kapler had every right to be upset.
In the middle of the sixth inning, Giants pitcher Jarlin García had an exchange with Mookie Betts and the Dodgers when he mimicked the Dodgers’ dugout celebration. Cuzzi saw that and followed Garcia to the dugout to lecture the pitcher about sportsmanship.
That was when Kapler intervened.
A fiery Gabe Kapler was ejected following Jarlin García's exchange with Mookie Betts to end the top of the sixth inning 😮 pic.twitter.com/nTdngYWJCw
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 4, 2022
Kapler was ejected — the first time as Giants manager — during his fiery argument, but really, the whole sequence came back to Cuzzi. There’s no reason for a big-league umpire to go to a dugout and give a Ted Talk about unwritten rules. Betts may have taken issue with the celebration (especially given the score at the time with the Dodgers leading), but it’s a rivalry game and not Cuzzi’s job to police celebrations on the Dodgers’ behalf.
No wonder MLB fans appreciated Kapler standing up for his pitcher. Cuzzi crossed the line.