History of Gabe Kapler in Timeline
Gabe Kapler, nicknamed "Kap", is an American former professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Currently, he serves as the assistant general manager of the Miami Marlins.
1941: Reference to a Historical Baseball Game
In 1941, four Jewish players took the field for the New York Giants, a record matched by Kapler and his teammates on August 8, 2005.
1954: Tiger Rookie Home Run Record
In 1954, a Tiger rookie set a record for the fastest 10 home runs, which Kapler matched in 1999.
1969: Inception of the Draft
In 1969, the MLB draft was established, making Gabe Kapler the first Tiger drafted as late as the 57th round to reach the majors.
July 31, 1975: Gabe Kapler's Birth
On July 31, 1975, Gabriel Stefan Kapler, later nicknamed "Kap", was born. He would become an MLB player, manager, and assistant general manager.
1986: Terry Steinbach's RBI Record
In 1986, Terry Steinbach set the Southern League RBI record with 132, which was later broken by Gabe Kapler in 1998.
1993: Graduation from Taft High School
In 1993, Gabe Kapler graduated from William Howard Taft Charter High School.
1993: Attended Cal State-Fullerton
In the fall of 1993, Gabe Kapler attended Cal State-Fullerton on a scholarship for one semester.
1994: Transferred to Moorpark College
In the fall of 1994, Gabe Kapler transferred to Moorpark College.
1995: Signed by Detroit Tigers
In 1995, Gabe Kapler was drafted and signed by the Detroit Tigers after being offered a $10,000 signing bonus. He then played for the Jamestown Jammers.
1996: Minor League All-Star
In 1996, Gabe Kapler was an All-Star in the minor leagues.
1996: Led South Atlantic League in Hits
In 1996, while playing with the Fayetteville Generals, Gabe Kapler led the Class A South Atlantic League in hits (157), doubles (45), extra-base hits (71), and total bases (280).
1997: Led Florida State League in Doubles
In 1997, Gabe Kapler led the Class A+ Florida State League in doubles (40) and total bases (262) playing for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
1997: Minor League All-Star
In 1997, Gabe Kapler was an All-Star in the minor leagues.
1998: MLB Debut
In 1998, Gabe Kapler began his major league career, playing for the Detroit Tigers.
1998: Minor League Player of the Year
In 1998, Gabe Kapler was recognized as Minor League Player of the Year by national publications, and was also named an All-Star.
1998: Southern League MVP
In 1998, Gabe Kapler won the Class AA Southern League Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the Jacksonville Suns, leading the league in multiple categories including home runs and RBIs. He also earned numerous All-Star honors and Minor League Player of the Year awards.
January 1999: Marriage to Lisa Jansen
In January 1999 Gabe Kapler married Lisa (Jansen), whom he had met in his senior year of high school. They had two sons and lived in various cities due to his career. They are now divorced.
November 1999: Traded to the Texas Rangers
In November 1999, Gabe Kapler was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Texas Rangers along with several other players.
1999: First Career Home Run
On April 30, 1999, Gabe Kapler hit his first career home run against Albie Lopez of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
2000: Strong Performance for Rangers
In 2000, Gabe Kapler had a strong season for the Texas Rangers, including two home runs on Opening Day, a 28-game hitting streak, and being named American League Player of the Week on July 30. He finished the season batting .302 with 14 home runs.
2000: "The Body"
In 2000, Gabe Kapler's body fat count was reported to be at 3.98%. Bob Ryan nicknamed him "The Body".
2001: Solid Season with the Rangers
In 2001, Gabe Kapler had a solid season with the Texas Rangers, hitting 17 home runs, scoring 77 runs, and stealing 23 bases. He batted .267 and had a .997 fielding percentage.
July 2002: Traded to Colorado Rockies
In July 2002, Gabe Kapler was traded by the Texas Rangers to the Colorado Rockies.
June 28, 2003: Acquired by the Boston Red Sox
On June 28, 2003, Gabe Kapler was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Colorado Rockies.
2004: Decision to Play on Yom Kippur
In 2004, Gabe Kapler consulted with a rabbi and decided to play on Yom Kippur after Shawn Green's announcement to sit out, citing the Red Sox's need for "all the help we can get!"
2004: Played Career-High Games
In 2004, Gabe Kapler played a career-high 136 games, batting .272 with 6 home runs and leading the team with 6 outfield assists. On Patriots' Day 2004, he drove in the game-winning run against the Yankees.
2004: World Series Champion
In 2004, Gabe Kapler was on the field when the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years.
2004: Departure to Yomiuri Giants
Less than a month after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, Gabe Kapler left to play for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.
July 2005: Re-signed by the Red Sox
In July 2005, Gabe Kapler was re-signed by the Boston Red Sox after clearing Japanese Central League waivers.
August 8, 2005: Record for Most Jewish Players on the Field
On August 8, 2005, while playing for the Red Sox, Gabe Kapler took the field in the 9th inning with Kevin Youkilis and Adam Stern. This set a record for the most Jewish players on the field at one time in American League history and the most in Major League Baseball history since 1941.
September 2005: Achilles Tendon Rupture
In September 2005, Gabe Kapler ruptured his left Achilles tendon, ending his season after requiring surgery.
2005: Played for Yomiuri Giants
In 2005, Gabe Kapler played part of the season for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Central League.
2005: Inactive List in Japan
In 2005, after struggling in 38 games in Japan, Gabe Kapler was placed on the inactive list by the Yomiuri Giants mid-season.
June 2006: Return from Injury
In June 2006, Gabe Kapler returned from his Achilles tendon injury.
December 12, 2006: Retirement Announcement
On December 12, 2006, Gabe Kapler announced his retirement from professional baseball.
2006: Inducted into Hall of Fame
In 2006 Gabe Kapler was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
September 20, 2007: Desire to Return to MLB
On September 20, 2007, Gabe Kapler announced his desire to return to play Major League Baseball.
2007: Managed Greenville Drive
In 2007, Gabe Kapler managed the Boston Red Sox's Single-A affiliate, the Greenville Drive.
2007: Cameron's Suspension
In the fall of 2007, due to Cameron's suspension, Kapler made the Brewers' club and saw action in center field in 2008.
April 5, 2008: First Pinch-Hit Home Run
On April 5, 2008, Gabe Kapler hit the first pinch-hit home run of his career for the Milwaukee Brewers against the San Francisco Giants.
October 30, 2008: Filed for Free Agency
On October 30, 2008, Gabe Kapler filed for free agency.
2008: Success Against Left-Handed Pitching
In 2008, Gabe Kapler demonstrated significant success against left-handed pitchers, hitting .304 with a .577 slugging percentage, ranking him 9th-best in the Major Leagues, highlighting his value as a player against left-handed pitching.
2008: Home Run Record and Jewish Comeback Player of the Year Award
In 2008, Gabe Kapler hit his 69th career home run, surpassing Art Shamsky and Lou Boudreau for 9th on the all-time list for home runs by Jewish major leaguers. Also in 2008, Kapler was the unanimous winner of the Jewish Comeback Player of the Year award.
2008: Signed with Milwaukee Brewers
In 2008, Gabe Kapler signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
2008: Inducted into Moorpark College Hall of Fame
In 2008, Gabe Kapler was inducted into the Moorpark College Athletic Hall of Fame.
2008: Tiger Rookie Home Run Record Surpassed
In 2008, a Tiger rookie surpassed Gabe Kapler's 1999 record for the fastest 10 home runs.
January 12, 2009: Signed with Tampa Bay Rays
On January 12, 2009, Gabe Kapler signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays for $1,000,018, with the extra $18 representing the symbol for "life" in Judaism.
July 23, 2009: Near Home Run Against Mark Buehrle
On July 23, 2009, Gabe Kapler almost broke up Mark Buehrle's perfect game, but was robbed of a home run by DeWayne Wise.
October 27, 2009: Kapler Re-Signed by the Rays
On October 27, 2009, Gabe Kapler was re-signed by the Tampa Bay Rays to a one-year contract for $1.05 million. The Rays cited his performance against left-handed pitching and his defensive abilities as key factors in their decision, along with his positive influence on younger players.
2009: Best Slugging Percentage and Batting Stats
In 2009, Gabe Kapler achieved a career-best slugging percentage of .505 and batted .320 with 4 home runs in 75 at-bats. His slugging percentage against left-handers was .680. 64% of his hits in 2009 were for extra bases, leading the major leagues for players with at least 100 plate appearances.
2010: End of MLB Playing Career
In 2010, Gabe Kapler concluded his major league playing career.
2010: Career-Worst Season and Free Agency
In 2010, Gabe Kapler experienced a career-worst season, hitting .210 with two home runs in 59 games. He battled right hip flexor and right ankle injuries during the season and became a free agent after the season.
January 18, 2011: Signs Minor League Contract with Dodgers
On January 18, 2011, Gabe Kapler signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and received an invitation to spring training, marking a new chapter in his baseball career after becoming a free agent.
September 2012: Coaches Israeli National Baseball Team
In September 2012, Gabe Kapler coached for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifier, marking his involvement in international baseball competition.
2012: Works with Egraphs
From 2012, Gabe Kapler worked closely with technology startup Egraphs, a company focused on electronic personalized autographs, which was licensed with MLB and the NBA. This marked Kapler's involvement in the tech industry.
2012: Body fat count
In 2012, Gabe Kapler's body fat count was reported to be at 3.5%.
2012: Phillies had .500 Record
In 2012, the Philadelphia Phillies achieved a .500 record, which was equaled in 2019 under Gabe Kapler's management, marking a period of similar performance for the team.
August 17, 2013: Joins Fox Sports 1 as Analyst
On August 17, 2013, Gabe Kapler became an analyst for Fox Sports 1 cable network. He appeared frequently on the network's Fox Sports Live program from the network's debut.
2013: World Baseball Classic Qualifier
In 2013, Gabe Kapler coached the Israeli national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic qualifier where they lost to Spain in extra innings in the Pool Finals, failing to qualify for the World Baseball Classic.
2013: Coach for Israeli National Baseball Team
In 2013, Gabe Kapler served as a coach for the Israeli national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic.
2013: Egraphs Closes Operations
In spring 2013, Egraphs, the technology startup Gabe Kapler worked with, closed operations. This ended Kapler's involvement with the electronic autographs company.
March 2014: Appears on MLB Whiparound
In March 2014, Gabe Kapler began appearing on MLB Whiparound from the program's inception, continuing his role as an analyst for Fox Sports 1 cable network.
November 7, 2014: Named Dodgers' Director of Player Development
On November 7, 2014, Gabe Kapler became the Dodgers' director of player development. In this role, he implemented changes such as switching to organic food and removing junk food from the clubhouse.
2014: Director of Player Development for Dodgers
In 2014, Gabe Kapler became the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2015: Accusation and Handling of Complaint
In 2015, Gabe Kapler faced a complex situation involving a complaint emailed to him by a 17-year-old accusing a Dodger minor league player of videotaping a fight. He sought guidance from lawyers and human resources, replied quickly, apologized, and offered help. Later, a separate accusation of alleged sexual assault was made to police, but the accuser declined to cooperate, and no charges were filed. Kapler has apologized for his handling of the allegations.
2016: Loses Out on Dodgers Manager Position
In 2016, Gabe Kapler was a finalist for the Los Angeles Dodgers' managerial position following Don Mattingly's departure, but he ultimately lost out to Dave Roberts.
October 30, 2017: Hired as Phillies Manager
On October 30, 2017, Gabe Kapler, at the age of 42, was announced as the new manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the 54th in team history. His preparation and people skills impressed the team during his interview.
2017: End of Tenure with the Dodgers
In 2017, Gabe Kapler's time as the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers concluded.
2018: Career Stolen Bases and Doubles Ranking
As of 2018, Gabe Kapler was 5th all-time in career stolen bases (behind Brad Ausmus) and 9th all-time in career doubles (behind Sid Gordon) among Jewish major league baseball players.
2018: Phillies overturns
In 2018 the 27 overturns caused by his challenges were tied for the second-most in the majors during Gabe Kapler's time as manager for the Phillies.
2018: Appointment as MLB Manager
In 2018, Gabe Kapler became the eighth Jewish manager in MLB history, joining a list of notable managers.
2018: Manager of Philadelphia Phillies
In 2018, Gabe Kapler became the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
2018: First Season as Phillies Manager
In 2018, Gabe Kapler managed the Phillies to an 80-82 record after inheriting a team that had lost 96 games the prior season. He finished with the second-most wins among Phillies managers after 100 games (56) and emphasized the theme "Be Bold."
November 2019: Hired as Giants Manager
In November 2019, Gabe Kapler was hired as the 39th manager of the San Francisco Giants, succeeding Bruce Bochy. He took over a team with a 77–85 record from the previous season.
2019: Final Season as Phillies Manager
In 2019, Gabe Kapler completed his tenure as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
2019: Manages Phillies to .500 Record
In 2019, Gabe Kapler managed the Philadelphia Phillies to an 81–81 (.500) record, which was the team's best record since 2012. However, a late-season slump led to him being fired after the season.
December 2020: Father's Death
In December 2020, Gabe Kapler's father passed away from Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, marking a significant personal loss for him.
2020: Manager of San Francisco Giants
In 2020, Gabe Kapler became the manager of the San Francisco Giants.
2020: Turnaround with Giants Hitters
In 2020, Gabe Kapler oversaw a significant turnaround with the San Francisco Giants hitters, leading the team to finish 8th in runs after they ranked 28th, 29th, and 29th in the prior three seasons. He also used more pinch hitters per game than any other manager in major league baseball.
April 2021: Wins 200th Game as Manager
In April 2021, Gabe Kapler won his 200th game as a manager, becoming the first manager in MLB history with a 200–200 win–loss record over the first 400 games of his career.
2021: Named Sporting News NL Manager of the Year
In 2021, Gabe Kapler was also named the Sporting News NL Manager of the Year, voted by 86% of his fellow National League managers.
2021: Named National League Manager of the Year
In 2021, Gabe Kapler was named the National League Manager of the Year after leading the San Francisco Giants to a franchise-record 107 wins and the NL West title.
2021: Named NL Manager of the Year
In 2021, Gabe Kapler was named the National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America after managing the Giants to a franchise-record 107 wins and into the postseason for the first time in five years.
2021: Giants Win Most Games in MLB
In the 2021 regular season, Gabe Kapler's Giants won more games than any other major league team with 107 wins, improving their winning percentage from .483 to .660.
May 27, 2022: Protest Against National Anthem
On May 27, 2022, in the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School Shooting and other mass shootings, Gabe Kapler announced he would not come out of the dugout for the national anthem in protest of the country's direction.
2022: Most Pinch Hitters Per Game
In 2022, Gabe Kapler continued his strategy of utilizing pinch hitters, using more pinch hitters per game, 1.63, than any other major league manager for the third season in a row.
December 2023: Named Marlins Assistant General Manager
In December 2023, Gabe Kapler became an assistant general manager of the Miami Marlins, focusing on player development and baseball operations.
December 2023: Assistant General Manager for Miami Marlins
In December 2023, Gabe Kapler became an assistant general manager of the Miami Marlins.
2023: Fired by Giants
In 2023, the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention, leading to Gabe Kapler's firing three days later. Kai Correa took over as the interim manager for the remainder of the season.
2024: Contract Extension with Giants
In November, the Giants rewarded Gabe Kapler with a two-year contract extension through the 2024 season, demonstrating their confidence in his leadership.
