Giants’ Logan Webb is MLB’s most underappreciated pitcher

Webb has pitched to a 3.47 ERA or better in each of the past five seasons. He’s also made at least 26 starts in each of those years, and Webb has made 32 or more starts in each of the past four years. If that isn’t enough proof of Webb performing like an old-school workhorse on the mound, the Giants’ hurler has led the league in innings pitched for three consecutive seasons, recording marks of 204.2 innings or more in each of those years.

Sure, his ERA isn’t consistently as dominant as some other starters. He holds a career 3.38 ERA and his career-low mark in a single season is 2.90. Higher ERAs are expected when you are logging as many innings as Webb does on a consistent basis, though.

The old-fashioned stats tell the story, but we can do even better to appease the baseball nerds. Taking a look at Webb’s baseball savant page, it’s clear his offspeed pitches play a huge role in his success. In fact, Webb ranks in the 98th percentile for offspeed run value.

Overall, he’s in the 84th percentile for pitcher run value. He’s an old-school pitcher in more ways than one, as Webb doesn’t just throw 100-plus and hope for the best like many guys do nowadays. Rather, Webb is methodical on the mound, looking to paint the corners. His fastball velocity is only in the 23rd percentile, yet he still finds a way to get the job done in the modern hard-throwing era of the sport.

Logan Webb throws his sinker most of the time, while also mixing in a sweeper, changeup, cutter and a four-seam fastball. Since he doesn’t reach back and try to throw uncontrolled fastballs all of the time, Webb is able to keep hitters off-balance. In 2025, he recorded a 26.2 strikeout percentage — the second best mark of his career.

It’s sometimes difficult to tell if Webb is throwing a baseball or a wiffle ball given the jaw-dropping movement on his pitches.

He also does a terrific job of keeping the ball on the ground. For Webb’s career, he holds career marks of a 57 percent ground ball rate compared to a 15.6 percent fly ball rate.

Strikeouts and ground balls on a consistent basis? That will play.

Why is Webb underappreciated?

Skubal has been dominant for an up-and-coming Tigers squad. Skenes had no shortage of hype around him after being selected first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft out of LSU.

Webb, meanwhile, was drafted in the fourth round back in 2014. He wasn’t a top-tier prospect. Although Skenes has never pitched in the postseason, the hype around him keeps him consistently discussed in top pitcher conversations. Skubal’s hype and the Tigers’ recent success help him in the discussions.

Webb has only pitched in the playoffs once — and that came back in 2021. He was electric in that ’21 postseason, as he did everything he could to try to help the Giants upset the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-handed ace turned in a spectacular 0.61 ERA across 14.2 innings pitched.

At the time, Webb was the talk of baseball. That was arguably the most popular time of his career.

Since then, he’s been quietly consistent in San Francisco, pitching for a Giants squad that has made runs only to fall short of the playoffs in late September/early October.

Regardless of whether or not the Giants make the playoffs, there is no question that Webb deserves more credit and recognition. If they reach the playoffs, San Francisco will have a legitimate opportunity to make a World Series push with an ace like Logan Webb leading the way.