SF Giants ace Logan Webb on track to surpass Bumgarner and Lincecum mark soon

Every year since 2022, SF Giants ace Logan Webb has gotten the ball on Opening Day. Even though Webb is set to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, the expectation is that he will still get the ball in the team’s first regular season game against the New York Yankees on March 25th.

Webb will be an important member of Team USA in the WBC. He may pitch twice in the competition depending on how far the team makes it and will be away from the Giants in spring training for a bit.

Logan Webb set to pass some SF Giants legends next month

It’s a cool experience for Webb even if the timing is a little unfortunate. The Giants have a new manager and coaching staff in Tony Vitello so it would be nice to have Webb, an unquestioned leader on the team, present for all of camp. President of baseball operations Buster Posey has clearly been less than enthused about Webb’s participation, fearing the impact the competition could have on Webb’s health. But no matter what Webb should be good to in the team’s regular season opener assuming he remains healthy.

He made his Cactus League debut on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels and he seemed to already be in midseason form as he pitched the first two innings and struck out four batters without allowing a baserunner.

If Webb does indeed get the ball in a month’s time, he will eclipse Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner for most consecutive Opening Day starts by a Giants pitcher. Both legends started four consecutive Opening Day contests while Hall of Famer Juan Marichal holds the Giants record with ten straight Opening Day starts.

It is really easy to take Webb’s performance for granted, but his consistency and durability truly is something to behold. After establishing himself as the team’s ace during the miraculous 2021 season, Webb has simply never looked back and has seemed to get better with each season.

While he was thought of as a sinker-baller primarily who relied on his defense to pitch well, he led the National League in strikeouts last season proving that he can be a dominant pitcher as well.

It took a while for Webb to get the respect he is due, but he made the All-Star Game each of the last two seasons and more national baseball types have begun to recognize that he really is one of the most valuable pitchers in the game.

He has finished high in National League Cy Young voting in the past and it would be really cool if he was able to win it one year and become the first Giants pitcher since Lincecum to win the award. That will not be easy with Paul Skenes still in the NL, but all it takes is one really strong season.

Hopefully there are no setbacks or anything, but assuming everything goes to plan Webb will be the team’s Opening Day starter. The bigger question is how the rest of the rotation will fare given the question marks with those pitchers.