Giants' Webb rides breakout season into first Opening Day start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The worst-kept secret in Giants camp is now official.
Manager Gabe Kapler told reporters in Arizona that Logan Webb is his Opening Day starter, lining the homegrown star up to face the Miami Marlins on April 8 at Oracle Park. It's a well-earned and appropriate honor for Webb, who has started three of the last four games at the ballpark. He starred in Game 162 last year and then twice dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers at home during the NLDS.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Webb was an easy choice for Kapler, who went into the offseason with the right-hander as his only starter but watched the front office re-sign Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood and then reach two-year deals with Alex Cobb and Carlos Rodon. The 25-year-old started the Cactus League opener earlier this month and Rodon slid into the rotation in the No. 2 spot on Thursday. The Giants have lined it up this spring with DeSclafani, Wood and Cobb following their top two.
This will be the first Opening Day start for Webb, who hit his stride last May and was one of the National League's best pitchers the rest of the year. The Rocklin native finished with a 3.03 ERA during the regular season and allowed one run in 14 2/3 innings in the NLDS. When Webb takes the mound at Oracle Park, he'll be riding some impressive streaks.
He did not take a loss in his final 22 regular season starts last year, going 11-0. The Giants were 12-0 with Webb on the mound at home last year in the regular season, and he hasn't started in a regular-season loss at Oracle Park since Aug. 27, 2020.
RELATED: Kapler loves vibe Webb brings to Giants
Webb will become the first homegrown right-hander to start on Opening Day for the Giants since Matt Cain in 2013. He joins Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner and Ty Blach as the only homegrown Giants to start on Opening Day in the last 25 years.
If this is the start of a multi-year run, it'll be similar to what the Giants have seen before. Lincecum was 24 when he made the first of four consecutive Opening Day starts. Bumgarner was also 24 when he made his first of five Opening Day starts for the Giants.
