Both members of the San Francisco Giants’ most familiar battery won a Rawlings Gold Glove award on Sunday.
One was practically to be expected. Catcher Patrick Bailey is one of the best pitch framers in baseball with impressive defensive metrics to match, and was awarded his second Gold Glove. He’s the first Giants catcher to win multiple Gold Gloves. But somewhat unexpectedly, right-hander Logan Webb won his first career Gold Glove, becoming the first Giants pitcher to win one since Rick Reuschel in 1987.
Webb’s honor signifies a defensive turnaround for the ace. One of the worst pitchers at holding runners on base in 2024, he turned holding runners into a strength in 2025 and intends to poke fun at current and former teammates who have won a Gold Gloves of their own.
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“Definitely going to give (former shortstop Brandon Crawford) some flack for it. And Patrick and (third baseman Matt Chapman),” Webb said. “ I’m just going to tell them if I can win it, anyone can win it. Just kidding.
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“It’s cool to be part of that now. When people watch the game, I get that little gold glove next to my name when they show the defensive positioning. It’s really cool that I can have one of those awards like those guys.”
Webb recalled a game in 2024, when Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages recorded his first big league steal, as a low point.
“I felt like I got exposed — especially last year — I think the Cardinals game in St. Louis was a low point of that when you have catchers who haven’t stolen a base since Low-A stealing a base on you twice.”
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As much as it obviously stung, Pages had just one of the Cardinals’ four steals against Webb in that game. But Webb tinkered and labored over his timing to the plate throughout spring training and saw results, with runners rarely attempted to steal against him. And with his knack for fielding some of the many groundballs he induces, Webb was also a clean defender.
“We spent a lot of time on the back fields during spring training trying to hold as long as you can, mixing times, working on it in bullpens,” he said. “I was doing it in live BPs. Then once in spring, I got better at it — spring is a good test because more guys run and it’s a time for guys to steal bases. I felt really good about doing it during spring and tried to get that momentum going.”
The SABR Defensive Index, which accounts for a percentage of the vote, had Webb as its best defensive pitcher in the National League. He committed one error with seven defensive runs saved (DRS), according to FanGraphs, most in the NL.
Bailey’s numbers position him not only as the best defensive catcher in the National League, but one of the best defensive players in baseball this year. Accumulating the benefits of his pitch framing, caught-stealing metrics — including a career-best 30.7% rate of throwing out opponents’ stolen-base attempts — and blocking behind the plate, Statcast determined that he saved a league-best 31 runs above league average. His 19 DRS (via FanGraphs) were the most for a catcher, nine more than the runner-up.
“He just keeps getting better, it’s fun to watch him do his work every day,” Webb said of Bailey. “He works hard at his craft. Now anytime there is an in-between ball between him and the mound, it’s not always going to be his ball. It can be my ball now, too.”
Winning his first Gold Glove is an honor for Webb in a year of personal wins for him. His 207 total innings were the most in baseball, plus the groundball maestro also led the National League with 224 strikeouts. What’s next for Webb?
“Its more of a team-oriented thing, I just want to get back to the playoffs. I’m not enjoying sitting here right now,” Webb said. “I wish we were playing into this month and I feel like the direction is going the right way and that’s the most important goal. Personal goal, as a pitcher, obviously the big one. You want to win the big one. I feel like I’ve put myself in position to be close every year and I’ve played with enough guys that have won the Cy Young to, hopefully, have learned something from them and make that jump.”
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