The Giants saw firsthand how important starting pitching depth is last year, and that was in a 60-game season. Depth will be even more important this year, with the season stretched back to 162 games.
Managers will have to be smart this season in how they handle their starting rotations, and that was evident in how the Giants attacked the offseason. They didn't just add one or two starters but multiple options, including bringing back Kevin Gausman on the $18.9 million qualifying offer. Behind Gausman and Johnny Cueto, Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, Aaron Sanchez and Logan Webb all are strong options in the rotation. That doesn't even include Shun Yamaguchi, Scott Kazmir, Sam Long or Caleb Baragar, along with Tyler Beede's return from Tommy John surgery.
Mike Krukow simply hasn't seen anything like this in San Francisco.
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"I think this is one of the deepest starter rotations that they've ever had," Krukow said Tuesday on KNBR's "Murph & Mac" show. "They've got seven or eight guys who can go out there and start for you and give you four, five or six innings that you have no problem flipping the ball to."
Webb seems like the odd man out after being a mainstay in the rotation last season. The Sanchez signing seemed to push him back, possibly even starting the season in Triple-A Sacramento.
Krukow, however, doesn't want you to forget about the young right-hander. The broadcaster didn't think Webb was quite ready for the big leagues when he made his Giants debut at only 22 years old in 2019. Now, he'd trust Webb against the best of the best.
"I have no problem flipping the ball up to Logan Webb and letting him match up against any ace -- any ace in the National League West," Krukow said. "He will give you a chance to win and I will stand by this. I really get excited when I see guys who have sink, especially mid-90s sink, and it's naturally for him. You get a lot of cheap outs, you get a lot of quick outs with sink. You get your fielders off the field with sink, you get groundballs. ... He's also a guy that's got swing-and-miss stuff, too.
"That changeup's legit. I'm just excited to how far he's gone in such a short time."
Webb, who still is only 24 years old, is off to a great start this spring. In two starts, he has tossed three scoreless innings, has only allowed one hit and has recorded four strikeouts with no walks.
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Through his first two seasons, Webb has a 5.36 ERA and 1.52 WHIP while struggling with his command. When he's on, though, his stuff is as nasty as anyone on the Giants. This spring, he's proving that to be true with encouraging early results.
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There's a chance Webb does start the season in Triple-A or out of the bullpen if not in the rotation. But it's easy to see why Krukow is such a fan, and the Giants still have plenty of high hopes for the arm.