“It’s been talked about and handled” - San Francisco Giants skipper Gabe Kapler addresses Carlos Rodon’s controversial bat kicking incident 

San Francisco Giants left-hander Carlos Rodon made headlines for all the wrong reasons following a 7-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Having given up five runs in the first five innings, Rodon returned to the dugout. The Giants starter failed to hide his frustration following his lackluster start. He kicked a baseball bat, which struck teammate Thairo Estrada in the knee.

"Carlos Rodon just kicked a bat in frustration and took out his own teammate" - Barstool Sports

Estrada barely had any time to react to the sudden projectile and was completely caught off guard. The shortstop immediately dropped to the floor clutching his knee before getting back up.

The incident wasn’t well received by other Giants players. Skipper Gabe Kapler has made his thoughts known.

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler addresses the situation

San Francisco Giants skipper Gabe Kapler has come under increased scrutiny owing to recent results. However, the under-fire skipper was quick to address the elephant in the room, following the 7-3 defeat to the Diamondbacks.

Speaking to the media following the game, Kapler said that the incident has been talked about and dealt with behind the scenes.

“It’s over. Our clubhouse has addressed it. It’s been talked about and handled. Yes, in the sense that there is more work to do… What happened last night is definitely in the past. Being in control of our behavior and emotions as a group is a constant work in progress. We will be open and transparent about that. We are not shying away from it at all” - Gabe Kapler

Rodon finished the night conceding just three hits in six innings. However, two of those hits were home runs, resulting in five runs for Arizona.

Rodon profusely apologized for his actions following the game, calling his kick off the bat a “selfish action."

"Hit my teammate, probably the nicest teammate on the team. Just a selfish action that is unacceptable and cannot happen, and I take all [responsibility]. I take every amount of it. That cannot happen, I just feel stupid, really stupid." - Carlos Rodon

While Rodon's actions are not acceptable, mistakes stemming from frustration are not new in baseball. Rodon didn’t mean to hurt anyone. He feels guilty for what he did and has accepted complete responsibility. It's time for people to move on from the incident.