The San Francisco Giants' pitching staff has hit another rough patch, as ace Logan Webb was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday afternoon with bursitis in his right knee. The move is retroactive to Wednesday, giving the right-hander some much-needed time to recover.
Webb exited his most recent start on Tuesday after just four innings, battling discomfort in his knee. He allowed six runs in that outing, pushing his ERA to a troubling 5.06—a far cry from the dominance fans have come to expect. This season has been a struggle for Webb, and the numbers back it up. His offspeed pitches, once a weapon ranked in the 98th percentile in 2025, have dropped to the 38th percentile this year. Only his fastball run value (70th percentile) remains above average.
To be fair, some of Webb's struggles have come down to bad luck. His xERA sits at 4.57, nearly half a run lower than his actual ERA. But for a pitcher long considered one of the best in the National League, even that mark is a disappointment. The Giants have been sliding lately, and losing Webb—even with his recent difficulties—doesn't help. The good news? Knee bursitis typically requires just one to two weeks of recovery, so this IL stint could be the reset Webb needs to turn his season around.
In a corresponding move, the Giants recalled right-hander Trevor McDonald from Triple-A. McDonald has shown flashes of brilliance at the big-league level, including a standout start against the San Diego Padres last week. He held them to just one run on two hits over seven full innings, striking out seven. That performance earned him the call, and it continues a trend of the Giants trusting their younger arms to step up this year.
McDonald owns a stellar 1.44 ERA across 25 major-league innings, but consistency has been his challenge. In the minors over the past two seasons, his ERA has ballooned to 5.31 in 2025 and 5.40 in 2026. Still, when he's on, he's been electric. For Giants fans, McDonald's promotion offers a glimmer of hope—and a chance to see if the promising righty can string together the kind of performances that make him a reliable option in the rotation.
As Webb rests and works his way back, the Giants will look to their young core to keep the ship steady. It's been a tough stretch, but with a little luck and some strong pitching from McDonald, San Francisco might just weather the storm.