Kapler plans to get vaccine that will help shape ’21 season
It’s unclear if Major League Baseball will require players, coaches and staff members to receive COVID-19 vaccines that are expected to be widely available to the general public by the middle of 2021, but San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler is among those who plan to get vaccinated anyway.
“I will get vaccinated but that is a personal choice,” Kapler said in a videoconference with reporters Tuesday. “At least right now, for me. I will be open to having conversations with our players and talking about anything they want to talk about.”
Kapler understands there could be skepticism among the players he manages with regard to receiving a new vaccine, but said he’s followed the vaccine development and approval process closely and is encour
aged by what’s he’s learned.
“I believe in the science of the vaccine, I believe the FDA has approved the vaccine for a reason and that reason is extensive study,” Kapler said. “That’s why I will absolutely take the vaccine and at the same time, I will be sensitive to the concerns and the want to be ed
ucated of our players.”
The Giants manager also expressed optimism about MLB holding a full 162-game season Tuesday, but multiple sources within the Giants organization have expressed uncertainty about the possibility in recent weeks. MLB has not given clear guidance on when players can report to spring training and recent reports indicate the league is considering bargaining with the Players Association to delay the start of the 2021 season.
A delay may provide time for players to receive vaccines sometime in the spring without skipping ahead of essential workers and people with underlying health issues in the process, but it would also allow for a larger portion of the population to be vaccinated.
After MLB teams played 60-game seasons in front of empty stadiums in 2020, owners want to be able to sell tickets to games in 2021. If MLB proceeds with its current schedule, it’s possible teams would have to play a significant amount of games with no fans in the stands or have reduced capacities in their stadiums with strict physical distancing and cleaning protocols depending on local jurisdictions.