𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

SAN DIEGO — The TV camera centered on San Francisco Giants pitching coach Justin Meccage and right-hander Adrian Houser during a mound visit in the fifth inning Wednesday afternoon. But all the focus fell on third baseman Matt Chapman.

For the second time in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale at Petco Park, a throw across the diamond had not resulted in an out. Instead, it led to an unearned run in an eventual 7-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. And although neither of Chapman’s throws to first baseman Casey Schmitt was perfect, the five-time Gold Glove third baseman apparently felt that they were good enough.

You didn’t need master lip-reading skills to understand what Chapman told Schmitt as they convened on the mound. “Catch the f—ing ball,” he appeared to say while glaring at Schmitt, and then repeated the admonishment.

Don’t need to be a professional lip reader to see what Chapman is telling Schmitt 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/Wly7NADro6

— Friar Breaks (@FriarBreaks) April 1, 2026

Schmitt didn’t visibly respond. There wasn’t a shouting match or an escalation of tensions on the mound. The video clip circulated widely on social media, and sure, it was a bad look for the Giants’ unofficial captain to reprimand a teammate on camera instead of waiting to share his message in private. It didn’t reflect well on a player who is supposed to be a model of professionalism.

However, it would be massively overstating the moment to say manager Tony Vitello has his first full-blown controversy on tap. After the game, the mood in the visiting clubhouse was nondescript as players changed into their travel sweatsuits and packed up for the short flight back to San Francisco. If any negativity hung in the air, it was concern over right-hander José Buttó, who retired just one of eight batters in the eighth inning before exiting the game with tightness in his right elbow or forearm.

Other than failing to complete a sweep and capitalize on a fine first start from Houser, how could the Giants be upset over winning their first road series of the season? Especially against a division rival that they went 3-10 against a year ago?

“We’re all brothers here,” Chapman said. “Heat of the moment. I mean, I already talked to Casey. It’s all good. I figured that people would try to make that a big deal, but it’s baseball. Stuff happens. And, I mean, we all learn from it. We’ll move on.”

“I mean, I gotta make better throws too, so it’s fine,” Chapman continued. “I wouldn’t think anybody’s gonna put too much stock into it.”

Schmitt was drafted as a third baseman and is playing out of position because Rafael Devers, who dealt with mild hamstring discomfort in spring training, has been limited to designated hitter out of an abundance of caution. Given how Devers looked while busting down the line while beating out an infield hit Tuesday night, he’ll probably be back at first base sooner rather than later. It’s possible that Jerar Encarnacion, who finally made his season debut with a low-leverage pinch at-bat Wednesday, will get a start at first base against New York Mets left-hander David Peterson when the Giants open their homestand on Thursday.

For now, Schmitt has been at the receiving end of Chapman’s throws. And on the receiving end of Chapman’s momentary ire.

“We’re trying to win games,” Schmitt said. “Obviously I’m not mad about it or anything. That’s baseball. We wake up tomorrow, we play another game and we get back at it. … And, you know, sometimes things happen and I just messed up and we just move forward.”

The two misplays loomed larger than the final score would indicate because they led to the game’s only runs in the first five innings. Houser got the two-out grounder he wanted from Manny Machado in the first inning, but Chapman’s on-the-run throw was up the line, and Schmitt’s glove collided with Machado as he tried to catch it. The ball squirted into foul territory, and Jackson Merrill, who was on first base when the play started, sped home.

The official scorer originally gave the error to Chapman, but changed the ruling and charged it to Schmitt, who said he should have come off the base to catch the ball and then attempt a swipe tag.

Houser was poised to escape the fifth inning and strand two runners when Xander Bogaerts hit a chopper to the left side. This time, Chapman’s running throw sailed a bit, and Schmitt, who anticipated a bang-bang play, got low as he stretched for it. The ball glanced off the tip of Schmitt’s glove, Chapman was charged with the error and the Padres took a 2-0 lead.

Schmitt spoke with infield coach Ron Washington after the play, and they agreed that he might have stretched for the ball too quickly. Knowing when to hang back an extra instant is among the nuances of the position that are nearly always learned through experience. Schmitt lacks that experience. And unlike top prospect Bryce Eldridge, Schmitt isn’t 6-foot-7, which would’ve helped on that play.

If Schmitt resented being visibly called out by Chapman, he didn’t express it.

“That’s my guy,” Schmitt said. “He’s always been in my corner, always helping me out with everything. He’s right, I should’ve caught the ball.”

Vitello looked at video of the play in the first inning because he wanted to see if Machado interfered with the throw. He didn’t bother to look at the play in the fifth “because you can’t reverse it,” he said. “There was frustration, including both guys involved with the play. They want to make the play as bad as anyone, but you ain’t gonna undo it. … So it’s lace them up and get after it.”

Vitello said he wasn’t concerned about the viral mound moment, saying, “Same thing you say to your brother in the backyard if he doesn’t catch it.”

The Giants departed San Diego with much more momentum than when they entered. Their lineup, which scored one run over three season-opening home losses to the New York Yankees, put together a 16-hit night to win on Tuesday. A lineup tweak that resulted in Willy Adames at leadoff and Luis Arraez at cleanup appeared to click for the two players. The outfield defense is already demonstrating improvement with Harrison Bader in center field and Jung Hoo Lee shifted to right. Outside of Buttó’s inning, a bullpen with no clear hierarchy has pitched extremely well over the first six games. And although Logan Webb has fought himself on the mound with mixed results over his first two starts, the remainder of the rotation got off to a solid start.

Despite the loss Wednesday, No. 5 starter Adrian Houser was solid against the Padres. (Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images)

Catcher Patrick Bailey remarked that Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp had the best stuff that he’d seen from them in their season debuts. They’ll start the first two games of the homestand. Houser looked much better than a typical No. 5 starter on Wednesday, throwing strikes with four pitches against the Padres and touching 96 mph with his fastball. He only issued one walk, and that came on a nine-pitch clash with Fernando Tatis Jr. in the fifth inning that was as competitive as it gets.

“It’s what we’re here for,” Houser said. “When you get in a moment like that, you feel the energy from the crowd. They were getting into it. It’s always fun competing against guys like that.”

It’s arguably the main reason that Giants president Buster Posey hired Vitello: to demand that players compete at a high level every day, especially when they hit the eventual lulls or losing streaks that challenge their confidence. Part of competing at a high level is maintaining high standards. If there’s a positive aspect to Chapman’s mound admonition, it’s seeing that the Giants’ unofficial team leader has little tolerance for times when those high standards aren’t being met.

Then again, Chapman also could’ve made a better throw. Or two.