The 81.7 mph slider that rolled off Logan Webb’s fingertips and dove away from A.J. Pollock was well-located, no doubt. But it was also, on the surface, just one of 28 batters faced, one of 29 sliders thrown, one of 92 pitches delivered.
But this third-inning offering was one of the most extraordinary pitches of Webb’s historically extraordinary start. It was the only pitch the 24-year-old Webb threw in a three-ball count. And Pollock swung through it for one of Webb’s 10 strikeouts on the night.
Webb’s magnificent 7.2-inning shutout in his first career postseason start put the Giants in position to take a 1-0 lead over the defending World Series champions in the NLDS. It drew comparisons to legends like the greatest postseason pitchers of all time — former Giants and otherwise. He stayed locked in pitcher’s counts by throwing 69.5% of his pitches for strikes and kept overzealous Dodger hitters off balance with his changeup.
“I feel like I keep saying this, but you kind of dream of these moments growing up as a player,” Webb said postgame. “Just to be able to be a part of it and do it is something that’s special.”
Only 30 pitchers have ever gone at least 7.2 scoreless innings while allowing five or fewer hits and striking out at least 10. Only Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum had done it as Giants.
To join such exclusive company, Webb threw his changeup 38 times — more than any other pitch in his bag. The pitch made up 41% of his pitches, nearly twice the regularity he used it during the year.
Going to the changeup well so frequently wasn’t necessarily part of the game plan, but when batterymate Buster Posey noticed how well he was throwing it, he continued to call for it.
“He’s got three pitches that are elite,” Posey said. “It’s definitely a luxury on my end to kind of pick and choose depending upon the game and the lineup that we have and the action that I’m seeing on his pitches to which one we want to lean on more. Sometimes it’s going to be more of an even mix and today we saw the changeup was used more. But he’s got the ability to get guys out in a lot of different ways and it’s a recipe for success.”
The changeup Webb featured Friday was once his go-to pitch. At Rocklin High School (CA), he’d ask his coaches why they never called it for him, and they’d look at him aghast because no high schooler could come close to touching his fastball.
In Game 1, it was the opposite. As catcher Buster Posey noticed how well Webb was throwing his change, as well as how Dodgers kept whiffing at it (12 times, to be exact), he kept calling for it. Sometimes he’d throw his fingers down with more force, indicating confidence in Webb.
Through the minor leagues and with the Giants, Webb became a sinker-slider pitcher. He’s thrown that combination 65.4% of the time this season, leading to a 60.9% ground ball rate — second in MLB among pitchers with at least 100 innings.
In Game 1, his arsenal yielded 11 groundouts and one flyout. The Dodgers hit only five balls with exit velocities over 100 mph to the tune of two extra base hits.
While Webb always had a changeup that could miss bats, he hasn’t always kept his mind right on the bump. Even as recently as Sept. 23 against the Padres, he let a few dinky hits cloud his head and affect his performance.
But Friday, Webb overcame two errors, one by him, and continued to throw strikes. Manager Gabe Kapler was most impressed by his starter’s composure.
“At times in the past has kind of frustrated him and visibly frustrated him, and tonight you could just see him turn the page in his mind and get back to executing pitches in the zone,” Kapler said.
That last part is the key: executing in the zone. Spanning back to the regular season finale, Webb has now struck out 17 batters and walked none across 14.2 innings pitched. Webb admitted feeling nervous both in Game 1 and in the finale; those have been when the lights have shone brightest, but also when Webb has performed at his best.
“Logan, the star of the day, night,” Kris Bryant said. “I’m so impressed with him. His first playoff experience and he was just out there pretending like it’s a game in the backyard.”
When he attacked the Dodgers early, too, they were more likely to chase out of the zone late, Webb said. The three strikes he induced against Cody Bellinger to end the top of the seventh all came on pitches below the bottom of the strike zone.
Brandon Crawford, who homered and helped spin an incredible double play, called Webb “nasty.” Reliever Tyler Rogers called him “a star.” Nobody in the Giants clubhouse was surprised by the starter’s outing because they’ve seen Webb slowly, surely grow into the ace of the staff over the course of the season.
Webb’s performance reminded Posey of Tim Lincecum’s complete-game shutout against the Braves in the decisive Game 4 of the 2010 NLDS. Then, Lincecum struck out 14 in nine innings. Posey said he thought Webb probably could have finished this one off, too.
But unlike in Lincecum’s gem, the Giants held more than a 1-0 lead. And unlike in 2010, the Giants may need Webb again for a Game 5, if it comes to that.