LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S STARTER at GIANTS: LHP JULIO URĺAS (2-0, 1.50 ERA in 2 GS)
2023 NOTES:
• In his last start against the Rockies on April 4, he hurled six innings of shut-out baseball…also tabbed his 600TH career strike out against Kris Bryant
• Tossed six innings on Opening Day against the Diamondbacks, giving up four hits and two earned runs while sitting down six • Garnered a 1-1 record over three starts in Cactus League play, producing a 3.86 ERA (5 ER/11.2 IP) with six strikeouts against just three walks
• Key participant in the World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico, firing 9.0 innings in two starts against Colombia and Puerto Rico…struck out nine batters and walked three while allowing just one earned run on two hits VS. GIANTS:
• Last faced the club on September 17, 2022 in his last regular season start against the Giants at Oracle Park where he fired six frames and struck out eight batters…gave up five hits, one earned run, and one walk
• In his career, he owns a 6-4 record with a 2.12 ERA (25 ER/106.0 IP) with 111 strikeouts in 25 games (19 starts) against the Giants…the most
innings and strikeouts he has against any other team
2022 NOTES:
• Produced a 17-7 record across 31 starts for a 2.16 ERA (42 ER/175.0 IP) with 166 strikeouts against just 41 walks…put out a 0.96 WHIP, his
lowest mark since 2019 and did not deliver a wild pitch for the second time in his career (also 2018)
• Limited hitters to a .199 average, his lowest output since 2018…kept hitters to a .251 OBP, .347 SLG, and .615 OPS and totaled a 8.54 K/9
• Ranked amongst the National League best in several categories: wins (3rd, 17), ERA (2nd, 2.16), opponents average (6th, .199), WHIP (6th, 0.96), and win percentage (8th, .708)…was named to his second All-MLB Second Team and second year in the row
• Posted a strong second half record, going 9-1 in his final 13 starts of the year with a 0.88 WHIP and 1.26 ERA (11 ER/96.2 IP) paired with 72 strikeouts…went 4-0 in five starts in July, striking out 27 and walking just four en route to a 2.89 ERA (9 ER/28.0 IP)…later in August, also recorded a 3-0 mark in five starts to a 1.19 ERA (4 ER/30.1 IP) and 0.99 WHIP
• Started Game 1 of the NLDS, securing the Dodgers only win of the Postseason…pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts
CAREER NOTES:
• The Culiacan native enters his eighth season after earning his place in Dodger lore by recording final outs to close the club’s 2020 World
Championship…has posted 51-17 record with four saves and a 2.80 ERA in 139 games (103 starts) in eight Major League seasons with Los Angeles…owns a 1.09 WHIP with 605 career strikeouts
• Earned his first ERA title in 2022 after leading the National League with a 2.16 ERA, becoming the first Mexican born pitcher to accomplish the feat…given the Warren Spahn Award for two straight years (2021-22), which is awarded to the best left-handed pitcher in baseball who is best in wins, ERA, and strikeouts…named to the 2021 and 2022 All-MLB Second Team, after posting double-digit wins in both seasons
• Propelled the Dodgers to their 2020 championship, going 4-0 with one save and a 1.17 ERA (3 ER/23.0 IP) in six Postseason games (two starts)…closed out clinching games of both the NLCS and World Series, with 3.0 perfect innings in NLCS Game 7 to earn the win and picked up the save in World Series Game 6 with four strikeouts in 2.1 clean frames without a baserunner
• Has been at his best in the Postseason during the course of his career, going 8-3 with one save and 3.68 ERA (24 ER/58.2 IP) in 23 Postseason games (six starts)…has limited opponents to a .209 average with a 0.99 WHIP
• Made his MLB debut on May 27, 2016 with a start against the Mets, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings in a no-decision…was the 34th Dodger to make his MLB debut as a teenager since the club joined the National League in 1890 and first since Adrian Beltre, who made his debut on June 24, 1998 at the age of 19 years, 78 days…became the youngest Dodger starting pitcher at 19 years, 289 days, since Dick Calmus, who took the mound at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 23, 1963 vs. Milwaukee at 19 years, 228 days…also became the youngest Dodger to make his debut as a starting pitcher since Rex Barney (18 years, 242 days on his debut vs. Chicago-NL on Aug. 18, 1943) – Source: Stats, LLC.
• Collected his first big league win on June 28, 2016 at Milwaukee, allowing two runs on two hits in 6.0 innings and struck out six batters
• Became the youngest Dodger pitcher ever to appear in a postseason game at 20 years, 62 days in 2016 NLDS Game 5 against the Nationals, allowing just one hit in 2.0 innings of relief and recorded the win…became the youngest starting pitcher in MLB postseason history in the 2016 NLCS Game 5 against the Cubs at 20 years, 68 days, allowing four runs on four hits in 3.2 innings and recorded the loss
• Became the 4th Mexican-born pitcher with a 20-win season in 2021, joining Estaban Loaiza (21 W, 2003 CWS), Fernando Valenzuela (21 W, 1986 LAD) and Teddy Higuera (20 W, 1986 MIL)…also one of eight Mexican-born pitchers to start a game for the Dodgers, joining Fernando Valenzuela, Ismael Valdez, Elmer Dessens, Esteban Loaiza, Dennys Reyes, Vicente Romo and Victor Alvarez
• Named 2014 Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year and was also selected to the World Team for the 2014 XM All-Star Futures Game, becoming the youngest-ever player to participate in the contest at the age of 17
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: Fresh off a win in the series finale yesterday over Kansas City, the Giants face their first National League opponent of 2023 in the visiting Dodgers at Oracle Park tonight…SF opened the season with nine straight games against American League opponents prior to tonight.
FINALLY PUTTING EDISON’S INVENTION TO GOOD USE: Tonight marks the Giants first night game of the 2023 season… they played nine straight day games to open the season.
ROSTER MOVES: C Joey Bart was returned from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated from the 10-day IL…to make room on the roster for Bart, C Austin Wynns was designated for assignment.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Last season, the Giants were just 4-15 (.211) vs. the Dodgers (3-7 here at home and 1-8 on the road)… the .211 winning percentage vs. LA last year was the worst in a single season by any Giants club since both teams moved west in 1958…the previous low was in 1977 and 1979 when both of those Giants teams went 4-14 (.222) vs. the Dodgers…the Giants 15 losses to LA last year were also the most by any Giants team in a single season vs. LA since moving to SF.
DO CALL IT A COMBEACK: SF notched the win yesterday despite trailing after 7.0 innings…since 2021, the Giants 22 wins when trailing entering the 8th inning are most in the Majors ahead of the Guardians (19), Yankees (19), Phillies (19) and Rays (17) (Stats, LLC).
THIS SEEMS A TAD BIT HIGH…: The Giants have struck out 102 times through their first nine games this season, averaging over 11 strikeouts per game (11.3)…the 102 strikeouts are by far the most by any Giants team through its first nine games of a season…last year’s club previously held the mark at 86 strikeouts through the first nine games.
NO FREE PARKING (ON 1ST BASE ANYWAYS…): On the flip side, Giants starters have done a terrific job at limiting walks in the early going this season…through nine games, SF’s starters have issued just eight free passes, third-fewest by a Giants starting staff through the first nine games since at least 1901…coincidentally enough, Giants starters are tied with Dodgers starters for fewest walks entering play today (eight)…in the last series vs. KC, Giants starters walked one batter in 19.1 innings while striking out 21.
Giants, Fewest Walks Allowed By Starters in 1st Nine Games of a Season (Stats, LLC)
Year, Team Walks
1967 SF Giants 6
1987 SF Giants 7
2023 SF Giants 8
Year, Team Walks
2014 SF Giants 8
1988 SF Giants 10
1920 NY Giants 10
IT’S CALLED EXPERIENCE, BRO…: SF has one of the most veteran pitching staffs in the Majors overall this year in terms of career innings pitched…see below from Stats, LLC. Most Career Innings Pitched by Team’s Active Roster (Excludes Players on IL)
Team Innings Pitched
Texas Rangers 9058.2
Kansas City Royals 8228.2
San Francisco Giants 7010.1
Team Innings Pitched
Chicago White Sox 6732.1
New York Mets 6487.0
WEBB V. URÍAS IV: Tonight’s starting pitching matchup is the fourth time that Giants starter Logan Webb has faced off against Dodgers starter Julio Urías in the regular season… in each of the prior three outings (May 29, 2021 at Dodger Stadium, July 21, 2021 at Dodger Stadium and July 27, 2021 at Oracle) the Giants have come out victorious…in those three outings, Webb has combined to go 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA (4er, 16.0ip), seven hits allowed, four walks and 17 strikeouts…the two did face off with one another in Game 5 of the 2021 NLDS but Urías came out of the bullpen in that game.
JEKYLL & HYDE: The disparity in the Giants offense early on in wins and losses has been dramatic as the numbers below illustrate.
Giants Offense In Wins vs. Losses Through 9 Games
In SF’s Four Wins
Runs Scored ………………………………..38
Runs Per Game……………………………9.5
Run Differential………………+23 (38-15)
Home Runs ………………………………….15
Hits…………………………………………….51
Batting Average …………. .329 (51×155)
OPS………………………………………..1.083
In SF’s Five Losses
Runs Scored ………………………………….9
Runs Per Game……………………………1.8
Run Differential………………..-18 (9-27)
Home Runs ……………………………………2
Hits…………………………………………….28
Batting Average ……………177 (28×158)
OPS…………………………………………..525
ARRIVEDERCI!: The Giants 17 homers through nine games are third-most by a Giants team through its first eight games of a season behind the 2003 Giants and 2016 Giants (18 apiece).. the ’03 and ’16 teams hold the record for most through 10 games (19).
Giants, Most Home Runs Through Nine Games (All-time)
Year, Team Home Runs
2003 SF Giants 18
2016 SF Giants 18
2023 SF Giants 17
Year, Team Home Runs
1947 NY Giants 16
Three Tied 15
SLICE OF PIE: Through eight games, the Giants have scored 61.4% of their runs (27-of-44) via the homer…only Miami has been more reliant on the homer so far (20-of-27 runs, 74%)
TODAY’S STARTER – LOGAN WEBB RHP #62
2023 RECORD: 0-2, 6.55 ERA
WITH THE GIANTS: Is in the midst of his fifth season with SF…made his fourth career Opening Day roster and his second consecutive
Opening Day start with his outing on March 30 at the Yankees.
LAST TIME OUT: Was saddled with the loss in SF’s 7-3 defeat at the White Sox last Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field…in 5.0 innings Webb allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks in his 81-pitch effort…Webb told reporters after the game that he felt the White Sox had a very different approach than the Yankees did in his first start of the season as they were trying to go the other way and stay on his offspeed and that he didn’t do a good job adjusting to that.
VS. LOS ANGELES-NL: Is making his 11th career start vs. the Dodgers in the regular season and first this season…a season ago, Webb went 1-2 with a 5.57 ERA (13er, 21.0ip) and 12 strikeouts in four starts against the Dodgers with an opponent’s batting average against of .314…that was a big difference from 2021 where the righty was 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA (5er, 30.2ip) with 34 strikeouts and five walks with an opponent’s BAA of .150 in five starts (incl. his two postseason starts) vs. LA…he’s had a tough time with LA here at home in his career during the regular season, going 0-4 with a 6.57 ERA (18er, 24.2ip) in five starts…in his two postseason starts vs. LA in this ballpark back in 2021, however, he allowed one run in 14.2 innings.
HOMIE: Since 2021, Webb has gone 15-6 with a 2.52 ERA (48er, 171.1ip) in 29 starts here at Oracle Park…the Giants in that time are 23-6 in those 29 games…if you include his two postseason starts here at Oracle Park from 2021, Webb is 16-6 with a 2.37 ERA (49er, 186.0ip) in his last 31 starts in this ballpark with SF going 24-7 in those games.
IT. IS. (NOT) OUTTA. HERE.: Since 2021, Webb has allowed just six home runs here at Oracle Park, fewest in the Majors of any starter who has made at least 20 starts at home in that time… additionally, his 0.31 HR/9ip at home also leads all pitchers with at least 20 starts since 2021 (Stats, LLC).
LOGAN’S WEBB: Over the last 2+ seasons as Webb has come into his own, the Giants as a team are 39-21 (.650) in games that he has started since 2021…however, SF has lost each of Webb’s starts this season and 6-of-his-last-10 dating to August 18, 2022.
GOOD VIBES ONLY: Webb’s 12 punchouts set the franchise record for most strikeouts on Opening Day, surpassing the 11-strikeout effort from Madison Bumgarner on April 2, 2017 at Arizona…the 12 strikeouts on Opening Day were also tied for 10th-most by any pitcher in MLB history on Opening Day… it was Webb’s fourth career 10+ strikeout game.
2022 SEASON: Wrapped up his fourth Major League season and continued to build his resume as one of the top starters in the Majors…Webb set career bests in wins (15), ERA (2.90), innings pitched (192.1) and strikeouts (163) as he officially went 15-9 with a 2.90 ERA in a career-best 32 starts…Webb’s 2.90 ERA and 192.1 innings pitched were seventh-best in the National League.
2023 SPRING TRAINING: Webb went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA (9er, 18.0ip) in five official Spring Training starts…his most recent came on Saturday vs. Seattle at Scottsdale Stadium where he twirled 5.0 innings and allowed one run on eight hits while striking out six and walking three…over his final two spring starts, Webb struck out 12 batters in 9.1 innings.
