Webb brings more heat in bid for starting spot

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. —

Logan Webb’s spring is going so well that Saturday, three strikeouts in an inning wasn’t enough. After a wild pitchstrikeout in the first, he got a crack at another K and, easy peasy, he picked up his fourth, getting Franmil Reyes swinging.

Did anyone in the dugout take note of his accomplishment? No, because Webb was too remorseful about the wild pitch that Buster Posey couldn’t come up with. “I apologized for not telling Buster where the ball was, and they told me to stop apologizing,” Webb said.

Using his changeup and sinker extensively, Webb allowed one hit, one walk and struck out six in his three innings of work, bringing his spring totals to seven scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts.

“I’m just excited to keep that momentum going,” he said. Manager Gabe Kapler said that was as good as he’s ever seen Webb’s changeup and said he was really impressed with the outing.

Webb, a 24yearold from Rocklin (Placer County), is putting himself solidly in the conversation for the fifthstarter spot, which right now might be between him and recent freeagent addition

Aaron Sanchez — who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game as he comes back from shoulder surgery. Sanchez will work a threeinning simulated game Sunday at Scottsdale Stadium.

Alex Wood, the presumptive No. 4 starter, will have his next outing pushed back because of back stiffness, Kapler said. No. 3 starter Anthony DeSclafani pitched two innings in a simulated game and it went well, Kapler reported.

Saturday’s game finished in bizarre fashion: The Indians didn’t score in the top of the ninth, but with the Giants leading 54, they played the bottom of the inning anyway — with no umpires.

Indians catcher Beau Taylor, formerly of the A’s, had to do double duty: “Ha ha, yeah, I had to call strikes and balls,” he texted, with two rolling laughing emojis. “I told the batters to work with me.”

Kapler said he thought Taylor did a good job, and he said the Giants agreed during the game to play the full nine because the Indians had pitchers they wanted to get work — they even made a pitching change in the inning.

Heliot Ramos led off with what might have been his 10th hit of the spring, but it’s unclear if stats — and runs — from the half inning actually count. So the Giants either won 54 or maybe 74. More rolling laughing emojis seem appropriate here. (It officially was a 54 win.) Outfielder Austin Slater, who’s been limited by hamstring tightness, walloped a threerun homer in the second off Zach Plesac — who’d struck him out his first atbat. “It’s nice to get multiple atbats off the same guy,” said Slater, who’s being brought along slowly. “Pretty big swing, pretty loud home run,” Kapler said.

Reliever Reyes Moronta, who sat out last year as he returned from shoulder surgery, made his spring debut and had one strikeout in a scoreless inning, but his velocity appeared to be down. He’s usually in the upper 90s and was sitting around the 92 mph mark Saturday, touching 94 once. “Obviously, we feel like when when he is at his best, he’s throwing a little bit harder than that,” Kapler said.

Rule 5 draftee Dedniel Núñez has elbow inflammation, Kapler said, and will continue to be monitored.

Matt York / Associated Press Logan Webb, shown throwing in a game earlier this month, had six strikeouts — four in one inning — in pitching three scoreless innings Saturday against the Indians.