Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants will cross their fingers for Tyler Beede. Those hands also will give a nice clap for Logan Webb.
Beede is the true concern after Tuesday’s 6-5 loss to the Rangers in front of 7,509 at Scottsdale Stadium, the 26-year-old leaving after one inning with tightness in his elbow. The Giants sent him for tests, and more will be known about the power righty on Wednesday.
Webb, his primary competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, got the nod, his first appearance as a starter and second in total, flip-flopping with Beede this time around. The 23-year-old wanted to go three innings, which Jeff Samardzija did a day earlier, but after seven outs his day was done.
A last-pitch changeup to Willie Calhoun accounted for his second strikeout in 2 1/3 innings, in which he allowed three hits, a walk and one run — on a home run to Isiah Kiner-Falefa. He was solid, if not dominant, and continues to get more comfortable with a revamped pitch set.
Webb, who touched 93 mph with his fastball, wasn’t thrilled with his command of his offspeed.
“Felt a little rushed with my delivery,” Webb said for a second straight spring start. “Missed arm-side high a couple times with the cutter and the change.”
The cutter and his sweeping slider are works in progress, creations for which Giants coordinator of pitching sciences Matt Daniels is a co-author. The slider was Webb’s go-to in his 45-pitch performance.
“They don’t want me thinking about too much out there,” said Webb, who spent his offseason in Arizona, adjusting his slider and introducing the cutter. “There’s a lot. But I’m fine with a lot because I want to work on this stuff so I can be my best.”
Glovely
Behind both Webb and Beede was a defense-heavy lineup that combined for eight Gold Gloves between Buster Posey, Yolmer Sanchez, Evan Longoria and Brandon Crawford. The outfield — Billy Hamilton in center, flanked by Mike Yastrzemski (right) and Steven Duggar (left) — was off the charts in speed.
“There’s a lot of Gold Gloves out there,” Webb said. “… It definitely gives you confidence as a pitcher knowing those guys are out there.”
The pitchers’ help was most evident behind the plate. Posey gunned down Adolis Garcia in the second, a perfect throw that the Rangers DH slid right into, and would have thrown out Kiner-Falefa in the fourth, but the pitch to Blake Swihart was ball four and not strike three.
Pen is not mightier
In a spring that had started with such promise for the rotation prior to Beede’s concern, there are a couple potential bullpen issues to work through. Shaun Anderson, first a starter and then reliever last year, allowed two more runs — one via a triple that should have been caught, the other a no-doubter home run from Tyreque Reed.
“We certainly want to see his best stuff,” said Gabe Kapler, who was then asked if the plan was still to stretch Anderson out as a starter. “It’s still in the works. As of right now, we’ll keep building his work and see where we are next time out.”
In three appearances, Anderson, who impressed last season more out of relief than the rotation, has allowed nine runs in 2 2/3 innings.
The troubles have not been as pronounced for Trevor Gott, but he has struggled with location. The righty, who is out of options, surrendered two hits and a walk — along with a wild pitch — and three runs, all on an Anderson Tejeda blast. These are the first runs charged to Gott, but he now has walked four in three innings.
Quick hits
— Steven Duggar, who has started out slowly (2-for-11 with five strikeouts entering the day), had a more encouraging effort, going 1-for-3 with a triple and a blast to second base that would have been a single had Andy Ibanez not knocked down the ball. (Duggar was safe anyway when Reed, the first baseman, dropped the throw.)
— Righty Enderson Franco got in his first trouble of camp, runners on the corners with no outs. He then struck out Ibanez, induced a ground ball to shortstop Abiatal Avelino, who came home for the out, walked Rob Refsnyder in a long battle and got another ground ball from Scott Heineman to escape danger. That’s four innings without a run for the former starter.
— Wilmer Flores continued his nice start with a three-run homer in the second inning.
— Former Giant Matt Duffy got a nice hand in each of his at-bats, finishing 1-for-3.
— Catcher Tyler Heineman and his brother, Texas outfielder Scott, met on the field before the game.