Giants who? Therapy rabbit named Alex was the real winner of MLB game in San Francisco

TJ Macias
·3 min read

Within the silver fog that rolled in from the moonlit bay and into Oracle Park on Thursday, a surprise sat.

No, it wasn’t standout backup catcher Curt Casali, who managed his fifth consecutive shutout in the San Francisco Giants’ 3-0 win over the Miami Marlins.

It was a rabbit.

That’s right. A twitching-nosed, long-eared, hoppity bundle of love fluff honest-to-heck bunny. And his name is Alex, and he, like those ballplayers in the diamond below, has an important job.

He’s a therapy rabbit – and a stylish one who transfixed spectators and social media with his bow tie and cuddly stare.

“I lost it all because of COVID, so I’ve been really stressed a lot,” Alex’s companion Kei Kato said, according to The Associate Press. “We support local. I was a local. He’s well trained, too.”

Kato said she lost her brewery restaurant during the pandemic and currently runs a café. Bringing Alex along with her helps her manage the anxiety that comes with her lack of income, the AP reported.

Alex has done it all, according to Kato, including cheering on a NASCAR race, snow tubing in Tahoe and kayaking.

Suddenly, what was happening on the field wasn’t as important as Alex in the stands, according to social media — and even those in the broadcast booth, who were ready with the jokes.

Those familiar with NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast team Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper know nothing escapes their attention, especially a golden bunny in the stands.

They weren’t the only ones under the enchantment of Alex.

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