WEBB TAMES LA’s BEST
Vosler beats proven arms as Giants tie Dodgers; bullpen competition heats up
Some pitchers have the opportunity to ease into spring training, facing role players or minor leaguers in their first Cactus League outings.
Others, like Logan Webb, get the best the reigning World Series champions have to offer.
Webb was only scheduled to throw one inning in the Giants’ 1-1 tie against the Dodgers, but when pitching coach Andrew Bailey sent him the opposing lineup card, he saw the names Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and A.J. Pollock atop the order.
“It’s hard to,” Webb said. “But you’ve got to look at it as another opponent.”
Betts is a former MVP, Seager was the Dodgers’ World Series MVP and Pollock, the least accomplished of the three, has an All-Star nod and Gold Glove Award on his résumé.
Webb battled command issues in a frustrating rookie season last year and spent the offseason determined to become more consistent throwing each of his pitches for strikes. The early returns, although limited, suggest his efforts are paying off.
The right-hander, 24, had
Betts off balance throughout an at-bat that resulted in a pop-up to catcher Chadwick Tromp. Against Seager, the hottest hitter in baseball in the month of October, Webb showed off a changeup the Dodgers shortstop whiffed against for a strikeout.
“I feel pretty comfortable and confident throwing (the changeup) to anybody right now,” Webb said.
Webb’s matchup with Pollock didn’t go nearly as well as the Dodgers left fielder drove an offering from the Giants starter to the left of the 430-foot marker on the center field wall at Scottsdale Stadium.
“I was a little angry about the last pitch,” Webb said.
Fortunately for Webb, center fielder Mauricio Dubón tracked the ball down, ending a successful 1-2-3 inning for a pitcher determined to prove he can regain a spot in the Giants’ rotation this spring.
The early math doesn’t look great for Webb, who slots in behind Johnny Cueto, Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Aaron Sanchez on the Giants’ rotation depth chart. It doesn’t help the Giants are also looking at more accomplished minor league free agents Scott Kazmir, Shun Yamaguchi and Nick Tropeano as starters this spring.
And while Webb could pull even or even surpass a few of those pitchers in the
eyes of Giants evaluators, he also has minor league options available. A spot on the Opening Day roster might not look realistic for Webb right now, but with a few more outings like the one he had against the Dodgers, the Rocklin native can make a compelling case for a job.
WHO’S JASON VOSLER? >> Giants executives Farhan Zaidi and Scott Harris had a busy offseason as they completely rebuilt the team’s rotation, added a new leadoff hitter in Tommy La Stella and acquired depth in the bullpen with free agent signees such as Matt Wisler and Jake McGee.
Anyone remember the first player the Giants signed this offseason?
The answer is infielder Jason Vosler.
The former Cubs and Padres prospect has never played a day of big league ball, but the Giants gave him a major league contract and a spot on their 40-man roster in one of the more surprising transactions of the winter.
Against hard-throwing Dodgers right-handers Walker Buehler and Dustin May, Vosler gave fans a glimpse of why the Giants were adamant about pursuing him.
The left-handed hitter who slugged 20 home runs with Triple-A El Paso in 2019 drilled a pair of doubles Tuesday, lacing a ball down the left field line against Buehler before driving a pitch into the left center field gap against May. Even with both pitchers sitting in the mid-to-upper-90s with their fastballs, Vosler had no trouble turning the offerings around and making some of the hardest contact the Giants have produced in the first three days of spring training.
The only disappointing at-bat for Vosler came in his third at-bat, when he had a chance to give the Giants the lead against new Dodgers reliever, lefty Alex Vesia. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Vosler fell behind in the count 0-2, then laid off a few pitches before tipping strike three into the glove of catcher Stevie Berman.
With a lengthy list of veteran infielders who have clearly defined roles and a lefty in La Stella blocking his path to the roster, Vosler appears ticketed to open the season at TripleA. It may take an injury or a trade for Vosler to have a realistic opportunity of playing at Oracle Park before the All-Star break, but he won’t have to face the caliber of pitcher he saw on Tuesday to pad his stats and convince the Giants he’s deserving of an opportunity. THE BULLPEN COMPETITION WILL COME DOWN TO
THE WIRE >> A parade of talented relievers followed Webb against the Dodgers on Tuesday as the list of pitchers making their spring training debuts included Matt Wisler, Tyler Rogers, Sam Selman and Wandy Peralta.
All four figure to be in a good position to secure Opening Day roster spots, but if any relievers struggle this spring, prospects including Kervin Castro, Dedniel Núñez and Camilo Doval appear poised to step into roles. After Castro and Núñez impressed against the Rangers in Surprise on Monday, Doval pitched for the first time Tuesday and picked up a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless sixth inning.
The Giants are planning to have lefty Jake McGee, a top candidate to open the season as the closer, make his spring debut Thursday against the Royals.