Marlins GM Gabe Kapler reunites with his ex-SF Giants platoon weapon in Miami

The traditional MLB Opening Day is here after...whatever it was that transpired last night on Netflix. The SF Giants have today off but there are plenty of former Giants around the league who made the Opening Day roster for other teams. Former Giants outfielder Austin Slater was actually cut by the Detroit Tigers, but the Miami Marlins, under general manager Gabe Kapler, swooped in and signed Slater to a major-league deal.

Slater is now on Miami's Opening Day roster and it would not be a surprise if the Marlins, who actually have their first game of the season on Friday night against the Colorado Rockies, put Slater in their first lineup of the year as they face left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland.

Gabe Kapler reunites with Austin Slater in Miami

Kapler knows as well as anyone how dominant Slater can be against left-handed pitching so it stands to reason that the former Giants manager had a hand in bringing him to Miami. Back in 2021 when the Giants had their miraculous 107-win campaign, Kapler leaned on Slater a ton against lefties and used Slater as a pinch hitter late in games to great effect.

Slater is not the hitter that he once was. Petty much ever since Kapler was fired as manager of the Giants at the end of the 2023 season, Slater has declined. 2024 was a really tough year for him in San Francisco and the team cut bait on him. He has bounced around from team to team since then looking for a permanent home after he was one of the longest-tenured Giants at the time of his departure having played in San Francisco from 2017 to 2024.

Last season with the Chicago White Sox, Slater slashed .236/.299/.423 with five homers and 11 runs batted in. The New York Yankees traded for Slater at the deadline hoping he could be a nice depth outfielder who mashes lefties, but he played in just 14 games and had only three hits in 25 at-bats.

The Tigers signed him to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training this year and he didn't hit too poorly as he slashed .267/.389/.467 with one homer and four runs batted in down in Florida but it was not enough to make Detroit's Opening Day roster.

Now the Florida native gets a chance with Miami. Maybe now that he is reunited with Kapler he can get his career back on track and become that dangerous platoon bat against lefties that he was for so many years with the Giants.