Perfect night for baseball
The stadium lights came on just before the Giants played the Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday evening. The two teams played to a 11 tie in seven innings, with Giants starter Logan Webb retiring three of the Dodgers’ best hitters in his lone inning. First baseman Logan Wyatt drove in the Giants’ run. For more coverage of the game and notes and observations from Giants and A’s spring training, please see
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t get a simple assignment in his first Cactus League outing, no lateinnings scrubs or nonprospects.
The fifthstarter candidate drew the Dodgers on Tuesday night, and had to face three of their top regulars, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and AJ Pollock, in the Giants’ 11 tie at Scottsdale Stadium.
“I mean, those guys are incredible, World Series champions,” Webb said. “It’s hard but you’ve just got to look at it as facing another opponent.”
He retired all three, getting Betts to pop up behind the plate, using an effective changeup to strike out Seager, who tipped the pitch, then — barely — keeping Pollock in the park. Mauricio Dubón had to get on his horse to haul in Pollock’s drive to the track in center, but Dubón got it with a sprint and a lunge.
“I got a little angry with that last pitch, but it was just a loud out,” said Webb, who’d thought it was a homer off the bat. “He hit it pretty good, but then (Dubón) started to slow down and that’s always a good thing when you see the outfielder starting to slow down and kind of read it.”
The changup is a pitch Webb is emphasizing this spring, like many Giants. He’s working on throwing it for strikes with more consistency, but then again, he’s working on making sure he can throw all his pitches for firstpitch strikes.
The competition for the fifthstarter spot got a lot more interesting in the past two weeks, with the Giants signing two experienced bigleaguers, Aaron Sanchez and Scott Kazmir, although Kazmir hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2016 and Sanchez is coming off shoulder surgery.
“I’m just looking at it as an opportunity to compete with my teammates, and it’s gonna be fun,” Webb said. “A lot of veteran guys like Kaz and Sanchy, it’s fun to talk to those guys and pick their brains. use some of the stuff they they think . ... I’m excited to compete with those guys.”
Webb, 24, went 57 with a 5.36 ERA over his past two seasons with the Giants.
Pitching coach Andrew Bailey said Webb is versatile enough to pitch in the bullpen if he’s not in the rotation. “Last year, there were some bumps in the road, and Logan would readily admit that,” Bailey said on The Chronicle’s “Giants Splash” podcast. “We had a great offseason just kind of communicating about really just kind of having him understand who he is as a majorleague pitcher. I’m really excited for a strong 2021 for Logan
Webb.”
⏩ Logan Wyatt drove in the Giants’ only run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth that by all rights should have been a linedrive single to center but for a great plunging grab by James Outman. Outman, who is from San Carlos and played at Serra High School and Sacramento State, drove in the Dodgers’ run with a double off Dominic Leone in the seventh.
⏩ Donovan Solano wasn’t in the lineup because he was a little under the weather, manager Gabe Kapler said.
⏩ Bailey said that Sanchez threw another bullpen Monday and should be throwing live batting practice soon.
⏩ John Brebbia, signed in the offseason while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in June, threw his first full bullpen session, Bailey said. On a video call, Brebbia said he signed with the Giants because he believes the team — which is getting a reputation for helping pitchers rejuvenate their career — will help him succeed. “I wanted to find a place where I could become the best pitcher I was capable of being, and the Giants’ staff and how their analytics works, all of that will help me the most. Second is the culture, I want to be part of a winning culture.” Brebbia, who had a 3.14 ERA in three years with St. Louis, isn’t expected to be a bullpen option until the second half.
⏩ San Francisco is off Wednesday; on Thursday, lefthander Jake McGee, the team’s new top closer candidate, will make his Giants debut against the White Sox, as will recently signed Shun Yamaguchi.