During the series opener against Miami, the San Francisco Giants had an unexpected fan attended the game – a golden-colored therapy bunny named Alex. Alex attended the game with his owners, Kei Kato and Josh Row, who have come to rely on the animal, especially in recent times. During the pandemic, 32-year-old Kato lost her brewery/restaurant called K-OZ. She said, “I lost it all because of COVID, so I’ve been really stressed.” Today, Kato runs a small cafe in the U.S. Immigration office, and Alex helps her deal with the anxiety and stress of no longer running her own restaurant. She has lost not only her primary source of income but also a sense of fulfillment in life. 

At the game, Alex was sporting a dark bow tie with orange crabs – the Giants’ team colors – and received massive attention from other fans, announcers, and even SF Giants CEO and President Larry Baer.

Official scorer David Feldman announced the game’s attendance during the seventh inning, “Tonight’s attendance [is] 4,580, not including the rabbit.” And Daniel Kurish of the Miami Marlins’ media relations staff delivered team gear to the exciting new guest. 

Baer stated: “Love this therapy bunny.” He continued, “We could all use a therapy bunny right about now.”

Baer has been the sitting president and CEO for the Giants since 2012 and has led the team to two World Series wins – one in 2012 and again in 2014. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization. Prior to becoming CEO, Baer was executive vice president for the team, a position he held since 1992. He started with the Giants after he and Peter Magowan led the effort to assemble new ownership and keep the Giants in San Francisco. Today, Baer also serves as a key strategist and negotiator for the club’s major transactions and as chairman and CEO of Giants Development Services, which is currently building Mission Rock – a new, mixed-use urban neighborhood located on a 28-acre site across McCovey Cove from Oracle Park. 

A Fresh Start in 2021 

Alex’s attendance with Kato garnered a mass amount of positive attention, both at the game and on social media the next morning. The bunny even shared posts while at the game through his personal Instagram account. One photo featured Alex in front of the field with a tagline reading, “Take me to the ball game!!! #resilientsf #giants #baseball #sfgiants.” A second post included a photo of Alex and Row sitting in their seat next to Marlins’ gear. The tagline read, “Thank you for coming down to say Hello and the gear. #marlins Sorry for the loss (keep that spirit up you guys will do great)! Go Giants! #gratefulthankfulblessed #ilovebaseball.”

According to Giants spokeswomen Staci Slaughter, this was the first time in Oracle history that a bunny has been in the stands during the game. However, it was not Alex’s first major event. The bunny has reportedly attended a NASCAR race and is an ambassador for the Lions Clubs International. Kato reported, “We actually bring him everywhere … He brings joy to everybody. He brings joy to us.”

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