San Francisco Giants Starting Rotation Better Than Advertised With Hot Start

The San Francisco Giants are off to a hot start after taking the first series of the year against the Cincinnati Reds and going for the sweep against the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon.

While the offense has produced in big moments with some timely hitting, it's largely the pitching staff the Giants have to thank for the 4-1 start with the team yet to allow five runs in a game including a total of just three runs in the first two games against the Astros.

Despite all the talk entering the offseason that San Francisco was going to look to add an ace to the starting rotation, things fell through with the top names on the market and they had to pivot, the big addition of course being 42-year-old Justin Verlander.

While bringing in a future Hall of Famer who thinks he still has another quality season in him after struggling through injuries last year is a significant acquisition, it was not the rotation-changing move fans had hoped for.

Verlander was strong in his first start, but Giants were always going to have to rely heavily on everyone who was already in the clubhouse to take a leap if they were going to get to the place they hoped to be. Though that's a big ask, thus far the rotation has looked the part.

Logan Webb - who was facing perhaps more pressure than anyone entering the year - tossed a seven inning gem on Tuesday night allowing five hits and just one run while striking out six and not walking anyone en route to earning his first victory of the season.

That kind of performance has become always routine for Webb however and it was the start on Monday which really should have raised some eyebrows.

28-year-old Jordan Hicks tossed six one-hit innings with six strikeouts, no runs and two walks before the bullpen was able to hang on for the series-opening victory.

Entering the second season of a four-year contract with San Francisco after an up and down first season, the expectations for Hicks were mixed.

He was never a factor in the battle for final spots in the rotation due to the money he's being paid, though not many expected him to be a star entering the season.

On Monday night however, he certainly looked the part of a star.

In addition to Webb, Verlander, and Hicks, veteran lefty Robbie Ray looks to be fully healthy after making his debut late last season and while his first start was not perfect, it was strong enough for the role they are asking him to take on.

If the Giants can get the kind of internal development it looks early on like the staff has taken throughout the early portion of the season, it's not out of the realm of possibility to believe they could have one of the better rotations in the National League.

Based on where the expectations were entering the season from fans, it's safe to say that reality would be pretty incredible.

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