Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants’ dugout can be mask-less within two weeks, which is a significant development for signifying overall health in the fight against the coronavirus, enabling further bonding and preparation work within the team and, uh, fewer itchy necks.
Gabe Kapler announced the Giants are 13 days away from hitting the 85 percent threshold of full vaccination within their entire traveling party, and thus May 13, in Pittsburgh, will see a Giants dugout that does not need to be fully masked-up.
Kapler and the Giants’ staff have been diligent about covering their faces at all times, as per the league rules, but those mandates can be relaxed if a club reaches the threshold. Several Giants, including Kapler, Buster Posey and Evan Longoria, have been public about their decisions to receive the vaccines. Major League Baseball and the Players Association announced Friday that four teams had reached the 85 percent benchmark, while five teams were within two weeks of being cleared. After the last group of Giants received their second doses of the vaccine Thursday, they fall in the latter category.
The league created plenty of incentives for teams that hit that target, including allowances to dine at indoor and outdoor restaurants, use of the team’s saunas and steam rooms, and family members who are also fully vaccinated being able to stay with players in hotel rooms. There can be meetings in those hotels, too, which Kapler said “is a big deal.” They haven’t been able to hold advance meetings in hotels thus far this season.
Kapler has referenced that something is lost when having a conversation in which you can’t see a facial expression. The Giants looked across the Oracle Park field and saw a Rockies team that had reached the vaccine objective this week.
“Seeing that group without masks on was a nice carrot,” Kapler said before the Giants began a three-game series at Petco Park. “It looks like a normal dugout when the masks aren’t around the neck. I think that’s something that players are looking forward to — a few of them have mentioned that to me.
“I think those of us who shave frequently are also looking forward to not having the discomfort that comes with having a tight mask around the neck after you shave as well.”
And it sounds as if it wasn’t a close shave; Kapler said the Giants will be “north of” 85 percent vaccinated in two weeks. Kapler said “a really small number” are not getting vaccinated.
Regardless, a Dodgers series that begins on May 21 will be the first time Oracle Park sees the 2021 Giants dugout without masks.