The San Francisco Giants found themselves navigating crossroads this offseason as ace Logan Webb finalized plans to pitch on the international stage ahead of spring training.
The Giants’ ace publicly confirmed his commitment to Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic in December. While the decision generated excitement among fans, it did not fully align with the organization’s preference for managing the workload of its top starter entering a pivotal season.
That internal hesitation became public when Splash Hit Territory, part of the popular Foul Territory TV podcast network, took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter) to share insight from San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser. Speaking with former Giants outfielder FP Santangelo, Slusser explained that the Giants—led by president of baseball operations Buster Posey since September 2024—would have preferred Webb avoid the early ramp-up required for World Baseball Classic competition in March.
The Giants did not want Logan Webb to participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Webb made his own decision. pic.twitter.com/93dngXWEe6
— Splash Hit Territory (@SplashHitPod) January 27, 2026
“The Giants really did not want Logan Webb participating in this,” Slusser said. “Buster Posey was clear, and I certainly understand his thinking, that he really likes it when starting pitchers participate in the WBC sort of later in their careers.”
The concern centers on health and workload management. Webb has carried one of the heaviest inning totals in baseball over recent seasons, and the Giants lack proven rotation depth capable of offsetting a potential early-season absence should an injury occur.
Despite those reservations, Slusser noted that Webb was fully aware of the organization’s stance and remained firm in his decision. He pointed to ongoing conversations with Team USA manager Mark DeRosa that date back several years, underscoring that the commitment was long considered rather than impulsive.
“Logan’s like, ‘Yeah, I know how they feel, but I’ve been talking to Mark DeRosa for three years… This is my decision.”
Webb’s decision was driven partially by a desire to experience a playoff-like atmosphere while representing his country. While the organization has publicly supported the move, it also represents an early test of alignment under Posey’s leadership as the organization carefully monitors Webb’s workload with Team USA.
