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Giants' offense again fails to reward stellar Webb outing vs. Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants ace Logan Webb pitched very well, recording double-digit strikeouts and no walks.

But San Francisco lost 2-0 to the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at Angel Stadium.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because almost the exact same script played out in last week’s 2-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park.

It’s not a new phenomenon for Giants fans, who affectionately refer to it as “getting Cained.”

On April 7, Webb’s stat line read seven innings, four hits, no runs and 10 strikeouts; he was credited with a no decision after departing a 0-0 ballgame.

Eleven days later, Webb tied a career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings of work and again allowed four hits. But this time, he gave up two runs (only one earned) to earn his first loss of the 2025 MLB season.

“It feels like a wasted pitching effort the way he pitched tonight,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said postgame of his star right-hander. “That’s a really good performance. We’re seeing him with the added pitches being able to strike some guys out, too. So, kind of next-level stuff for him. …

“He pitched great — good enough to win a game.”

Bob Melvin feels that Logan Webb's stellar outing tonight was a "wasted pitching effort" with the Giants taking a shutout loss pic.twitter.com/GHy7PpIVtw

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 19, 2025

Webb has shown off a new-look pitch mix this spring, but it was ol’ reliable — his world-class changeup — that was particularly effective on Friday. Webb used his changeup as the knockout pitch for six of his 12 strikeouts.

“Yeah, super excited about the changeup,” Webb told reporters after the game. “That’s probably the most confident, the best I’ve felt in a long time on that pitch.”

If there’s any solace for Webb, tonight’s outing put him in elite company among Giants pitchers. Only Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Juan Marichal have as many games with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in franchise history, per MLB’s Sarah Langs.

Logan Webb now has 4 career outings with 10+ strikeouts and no walks

Only other Giants with 4+ in at least last 125 seasons:

Madison Bumgarner: 12
Tim Lincecum: 5
Juan Marichal: 4

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 19, 2025

“I grew up in the area, and I grew up watching those guys,” said Webb, a Rocklin native who looked up to Lincecum and Bumgarner. “Anytime you’re on a list with those guys, I think you’re doing alright.”

Unfortunately for Webb, none of those players — or anyone in Giants franchise history — ever struck out at least 12 batters without a walk while also being on the hook for the loss.

So perhaps it was apt that Webb’s postgame interview in the clubhouse was interrupted by, well, a stinky deed.

"Farts are always funny, not going to lie."

Someone farted in the background of Logan Webb's postgame presser, and he couldn't hold it together 💨 🤣 pic.twitter.com/bKpABOpOJi

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 19, 2025

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Shohei Ohtani has had plenty of milestone moments on the field in the last year.

This weekend, he’s about to have one off of it.

The Dodgers slugger and reigning National League MVP was placed on the paternity list, the team announced, in anticipation of the birth of his first child this weekend.

Ohtani stayed back in Los Angeles with his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, according to manager Dave Roberts, and was replaced on the roster during the Dodgers' series against the Texas Rangers by veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario, who was called up from triple A.

Read more:Dodgers coach Chris Woodward is ‘proud’ of Rangers managerial stint, despite 2022 firing

“I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby,” Roberts said. “But obviously they are together in anticipation.”

Ohtani can stay on the paternity list for up to three days — which means he would be back for the team’s series next week against the Cubs at Wrigley Field at the latest — but Roberts said it’s possible he could rejoin the team later this weekend in Texas.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Rosario, the Dodgers transferred reliever Edgardo Henriquez to the 60-day injured list.

Read more:Pitching help on the way, improved bats, too? | Dodgers Debate

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman sat down with ESPN’s Buster Olney to dig into the question: Where did all the dynasties go? Their conversation offers a look at the legendary New York Yankees dynasty of the late 1990s — and why today’s superteams struggle to achieve similar levels of dominance.

The Yankees: Baseball’s last true dynasty?

Buster Olney quite literally wrote the book on the Yankees’ dynasty years: "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty: The Game, the Team, and the Cost of Greatness." As he explains in the episode, the late-’90s Yankees weren’t just a collection of high-priced free agents; they were a product of patience, clever management during a brief George Steinbrenner suspension and a homegrown core that included Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Bernie Williams. Veterans and stars such as David Cone and Roger Clemens rounded out the roster, but the key ingredients were sustainability and in-house talent.

Olney frames the 1998-2001 Yankees as the last “true” MLB dynasty, or as he puts it: “maybe the last dynasty that's going to win four World Series in five years.” 

What made the Yankees so special? Olney emphasizes the “combination of homegrown players and great stars that they added through free agency,” plus, crucially, a culture that made outside stars want to join: “Because they were so successful, they have what the Dodgers have now, which is a lot of players coming in from the outside saying, 'I want to be a part of that.'”

Why don’t we see MLB dynasties anymore?

So what has changed? Olney, Mintz, and Shusterman point to several big reasons dynasties have become nearly impossible in MLB.

• Roster turnover and free agency: With player movement so much more common today, keeping a championship core together is extremely difficult.

• Injuries and luck: As Olney notes, “it’s also about luck, it’s about injuries, it’s about players who decide to depart.” Maintaining excellence over multiple MLB seasons is just brutally difficult.

• The psychological toll: Olney makes a great point: Today’s social media era means players face far more noise, scrutiny and pressure than Ken Griffey Jr. ever did in the clubhouse. “I do think it takes a toll … players get worn down by the constant feedback.”

• Expanded playoff fields: More rounds mean more opportunities for upsets — a dynasty killer. As Mintz notes, “The playoffs are longer by one round … just another roll of the dice.”

The modern superteams: Dodgers, Astros, Giants

Every few years a team emerges — think the Dodgers, Astros or the earlier 2010s Giants — and gets branded with the “dynasty in the making” label. But as the Bar-B-Cast crew explains, none has repeated the Yankees’ level of sustained postseason success. Olney praises the current Dodgers as, “on paper, the best team I've ever seen,” but even he acknowledges that it’s far from a given that they’ll embark on a pinstripes-level run.

The Astros’ frequent postseason trips and the Giants’ trio of even-year titles are impressive, but Mintz still contends, “I would probably argue against both of those [being true dynasties].”

Will we ever see another true dynasty?

All signs, according to the podcast trio, point to “maybe, but don’t hold your breath.” The hosts agree that because of all the factors named above, a four-titles-in-five-years run looks like an artifact of another era.

But as Mintz points out, that isn’t a reason to stop believing: “For those of us who love the drama, there’s always a chance … and that’s what keeps baseball compelling.”

For more deep dives into baseball’s dynasties and other debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

Mets pitching prospect Brandon Sproat appears to have found his stride in Triple-A. 

The young right-hander has now recorded three consecutive strong outings after putting together six efficient innings of work in Game 1 of Friday afternoon’s doubleheader with the Buffalo Bisons.

Sproat allowed leadoff singles in each of the first two innings, but he used a double play to erase the threat both times. He was then helped out by a caught stealing and worked around a two-out walk in the top of the third.

The 24-year-old began cruising from there, retiring the next eight batters before allowing Jonatan Clase to reach on a two-out infield single in the sixth. Sproat then retired the next batter to end his day on a high note.

Overall, he allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out one across six shutout innings.

He touched 99.5 mph with his fastball and leaned heavily on his sweeper, throwing it 38 percent of the time.

Sproat was knocked around toward the end of last season with Syracuse, but he's settled in at the new level, allowing just two runs while striking out nine in 14.1 innings over his last three appearances (1.26 ERA).

While the Mets likely want to see him continue this stretch of strong pitching, he's certainly knocking on the door.

According to reports, he was among the options New York was considering as a spot starter against the Cardinals before Griffin Canning was scratched Wednesday due to an illness. Justin Hagenman came up instead.

If Sproat can continue pitching like this, it likely won't be long before he receives the call too.

Brandon Sproat threw six shutout innings for Triple-A Syracuse today 💪

His final line: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K pic.twitter.com/yGT6qjYkh5

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 18, 2025

Just moments after being ejected for arguing a strike-three call on Thursday, Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. voiced his frustation with home-plate umpire John Bacon via social media, posting on his X/Twitter account that the seventh-inning pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays was, "Not even f---ing close."

While the message was deleted shortly thereafter, it still caught MLB's attention and called for punishment. Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed on Friday afternoon that Chisholm has received a one-game suspension and fine from the league for the incident, and that the veteran infielder intends to appeal the decision. Chisholm is in Friday's lineup.

The discplinary action was predictable, as MLB rules state that players aren't allowed to use electronic devices during a game. The league's social media policy also mentions that players can't produce or endorse content that questions the "impartiality of or otherwise denigrates" an umpire.

Chisholm addressed the feud after Thursday's win, saying that he was "fired up" after the call from Bacon and didn't feel the ejection was warranted until after he left the field. He owned up to the situation, confirming that he did tweet immediately from the clubhouse and accepting the consequences.

The first month of the 2025 season has been odd for Chisholm, who's displayed notable power at the plate but also struggled to reach base at a tolerable rate. He's slashing just .169/.272/.451 over 81 plate appearances, and his strikeout rate of 32.1 percent is currently a career-high mark. In spite of his pop -- he's tied for fourth in MLB with six home runs -- the consistent whiffs are a concern.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been ejected for arguing balls and strikes pic.twitter.com/eQcGyu2qqW

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 18, 2025