The obvious was known — Logan Webb will start for the San Francisco Giants on opening day on Wednesday. Now, the rest of the rotation for the initial series is set.
Giants manager Tony Vitello told reporters, including Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required) that Robbie Ray will start the second game and Tyler Mahle will start the third game. Mahle started Sunday’s exhibition game against Sacramento.
The remaining starters are Adrian Houser and Landen Roupp, though their order hasn’t been determined. Thanks to the uniqueness of the start to the season, the Giants have options.
San Francisco Giants Rotation to Start Season
United States starting pitcher Logan Webb. | Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesSan Francisco has a weird schedule to start the season. Their opening-day game was moved to Wednesday and is the only game on the MLB schedule. The game is also on Netflix, so it’s expected to be an event since it’s the streamer’s first MLB game. Then, the Giants get an off day, followed by games on Friday and Saturday, followed by another off day on Sunday, a rarity in baseball.
It presents the Giants with a unique opportunity. They could arrange their starting rotation uniquely to give a pitcher like Webb or Ray a start before a fifth starter is needed. That rotation could go something like this:
Wednesday: Logan Webb
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Robbie Ray
Saturday: Tyler Mahle
Sunday: Off Day
Monday: Logan Webb (on normal rest)
Tuesday: Adrian Houser
Wednesday, April 1: Robbie Ray (normal rest)
Thursday, April 2: Tyler Mahle (normal rest)
Friday, April 3: Landen Roupp
San Francisco doesn’t need a fifth starter until the season’s eighth game. But there is another wrinkle. After the two off days in the season’s first five days, the Giants have 10 games in 10 days. It may benefit the Giants to use the days off to give starters extra rest and just remain in a five-game order. For instance:
Wednesday: Logan Webb
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Robbie Ray
Saturday: Tyler Mahle
Sunday: Off Day
Monday: Adrian Houser
Tuesday: Landen Roupp
Wednesday, April 1: Logan Webb (two days extra rest)
Thursday, April 2: Robbie Rays (two days extra rest)
Friday, April 3: Tyler Mahle (two days extra rest)
Saturday, April 4: Adrian Houser (normal rest)
Sunday, April 5: Landen Roupp (normal rest)
Monday, April 6: Logan Webb (normal rest)
No starter would pitch on normal rest until Houser in the season’s ninth game. Webb, Ray and Mahle would all get what amounts to a spring training rest week between their first and second starts, which might benefit Webb as he pitched two games in the WBC.
The rotation is set. The Giants have options. It will be interesting to see which path they choose.
