Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Ron Wotus did not get the job that he wanted. And yet, at Gabe Kapler’s introductory news conference, he was the only coach there to support the coach who did.
The support from the longtime Giants coach is still present and takes various forms. Occasionally it involves alcohol.
Yet again, Wotus was there for Kapler as the new regime won its first game as Giants. Wotus has done a lot of winning since joining the major league staff in 1998.
“Ron Wotus is just a class act,” Kapler said over Zoom on Saturday, in explaining how the Giants celebrated their 5-4 win at Dodger Stadium. “He opened up a nice bottle of wine and prepared a nice toast for the coaching staff.
“We always let the players do their own thing and they have their own celebration, have the space to enjoy that however they wanted to. And then the coaches circled up very carefully … and had a little toast and drank some wine.”
The new protocols make even celebrations a challenge; newcomer Caleb Baragar smiled but would not reveal how his teammates honored his debut and first win.
Logan Webb, who pitched well in four-plus innings, gave a little peek inside the visitors’ clubhouse.
“Everyone was just excited. There’s music blaring just like normal, but with the distance as well,” Webb said. “And it’s just fun. We all want to win so bad — that’s all we’re trying to do when we go out there. I think you have guys like Pablo [Sandoval] and Hunter [Pence] and these guys, and just seeing their excitement, it just makes you excited. I think that was the vibe that was there at the end of that game for sure.”
Austin Slater, who robbed Corey Seager to end the sixth inning with a remarkable grab just before crashing into the left-field wall, sustained a right hip contusion on the play, Kapler said. He’s day to day.
A few roster updates from the Giants:
— Billy Hamilton, who missed most of camp with a medical issue, has been assigned to satellite camp in Sacramento.
— Jarlin Garcia, who was out of most of camp with a medical issue, is building up his arm.
— Catcher Chris Herrmann, a minor league signing who was added to the taxi squad, was in the bullpen at Dodger Stadium. The plan is for him to report to Sacramento on Tuesday.
Trevor Gott, who finished off LA, is “an option” to be closer, Kapler said, though would not commit.
“If somebody takes control of a role and it just becomes no doubt that they’re in the role they should be in … if Gotter turns out to pitch the eighth and the ninth, I’m not going to deny him the opportunity of being our regular closer. Same thing is true for [Tyler Rogers] and [Tony Watson],” said Kapler, who said they’re in the “learning stage” in testing out players.
