SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ starting rotation, in manager Bob Melvin’s words, is “in flux.” Hayden Birdsong was demoted. Landen Roupp is injured. With two vacant rotation spots, the straits are so dire that the team may use a rare bullpen game on Sunday. They’ll likely need to get creative on Monday, too.
Logan Webb took the mound at Oracle Park on a frigid Friday night with an opportunity to spell the relievers, to keep them rested for the looming tasks at hand. Specifically, the bullpen’s multi-inning relievers. He has proven himself capable, more often than not, of pitching deep into ballgames.
Webb, instead, turned in his worst start of the year as the Giants (54-50) lost 8-1 to the New York Mets. He pitched four innings, tied for the fewest he’s pitched in a single start this season. He allowed six runs, tied for the most he’s allowed in a single start this season. For Webb, it was the nadir of one of the worst stretches of Webb’s career.
Webb has not looked the part of a two-time All-Star in recent outings. Over his last three starts, Webb has allowed 16 earned runs over 15 1/3 innings (9.39 ERA). That’s the most earned runs that Webb has allowed over a three-start stretch in his major-league career, usurping the previous high of 15 earned runs. During this stretch, Webb’s ERA has jumped from 2.62 to 3.38.
The right-hander’s poor start was especially uncharacteristic because of his inability to hold runners. Webb had only allowed four steals all season entering play, a significant improvement considering he allowed 20 in ’23 and 21 in ’24. On Friday night, New York’s Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor each swiped a bag off Webb.
With the bullpen forced to cover five innings, it becomes all the more imperative for Robbie Ray to cover innings on Saturday and keep his relievers rested for Sunday’s impending bullpen game. Ray, a fellow All-Star, is coming off one of his worst starts of the season, allowing five runs and walking five batters over 4 1/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets began the night by plating two runs in the first inning against Webb. Nimmo and Lindor led off the game with a double and single, respectively, setting the table for the heart of New York’s order to drive them in and take an early 2-0.
Webb tossed a scoreless second after Willy Adames’ RBI groundout in the bottom of the first sliced the deficit to 2-1, but allowed a solo homer to Lindor on a high-and-inside fastball that brought the Mets’ lead to 3-1. New York landed its haymaker against Webb in the fourth by scoring three runs, the dagger being Nimmo’s two-run single that put San Francisco in a 6-1 hole.
The Giants had many opportunities to cut into the deficit but finished the night 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
