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Logan Webb is fast becoming one of the best pitchers in the Giants’ West Coast history, but he knows he won’t be able to rub elbows with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner unless he reaches the milestone of milestones.

Webb wants to feel how that terrific trifecta felt in 2010, 2012, and 2014. He wants to feel how the Dodgers felt Saturday night after winning Game 7 of the World Series. He wants to know what it’s like to win it all.

Before all that, he simply wants to get back to the playoffs after appearing in the postseason just once in his first seven big-league seasons, having gotten bounced in the first round in 2021.

“I’m not enjoying sitting here right now,” Webb said. “I wish we were playing into (October). I feel like the direction is going the right way. I think that’s the most important goal.”

Webb, who turns 29 on Nov. 18, keeps getting better. From 5.00-plus ERAs in his first two seasons to earning the Game 1 start in the 2021 Division Series to leading the National League in innings three straight years beginning in 2023 to leading the circuit in strikeouts this season … 

And now, his first Gold Glove.

Sunday night, Webb was named the league’s best defensive pitcher, the only pitcher in franchise history other than Rick Reuschel in 1987 to win a Gold Glove. Catcher Patrick Bailey also won a Gold Glove, giving the Giants the majors’ first Gold Glove battery since St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina in 2013.

Webb, who believes the award was a result of his amped-up efforts to escalate his overall defensive game — particularly the art of holding runners on base — has plenty of remaining goals. On the personal side, in his words, “you want to win the big one.” Meaning, the Cy Young Award. He finished second in 2023 and sixth in 2024 and will receive votes this year, though Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes is the clear favorite.

Beyond that, Webb’s No. 1 goal is unmistakable, and it came across in a recent text conversation he had with Tony Vitello. Webb reached out to let the Giants’ new manager know “I’m excited to learn from you and work with you.” And also to say, “Let’s win the damn thing a couple of times while we’re here.”

Webb said Vitello responded with a lengthy text that symbolized his energy, passion, and desire to succeed as a rookie manager. Certainly, much more dialogue will come between Vitello and the leader of the pitching staff.

“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of good talks before we get to spring training,” Webb said. 

The Giants’ 81-81 record prompted Bob Melvin’s firing and Vitello’s hiring, and Webb – while speaking highly of Melvin in the season’s final weeks – said Vitello is the right guy to get the Giants to the next level.

“I think it’s going to be a healthy energy boost to our team and our clubhouse,” Webb said. “He’s very smart. You don’t know what’s going to happen until you get to spring training and you see it live, but as of right now, I think we’re all super excited about it.”

Webb’s path to winning the Gold Glove could be traced to his early days in pro ball taking PFPs (pitchers’ fielding practice), but what he believes set him apart this year was his extra time, beginning on the backfields in spring training, with coaches working on holding runners on base and preventing them from getting big leads and stealing bags. 

Net bases prevented is a stat measuring how well a pitcher prevents runners from advancing and takes into account steals, runners thrown out trying to steal, balks, and pickoffs. Webb had a +5, tops on the Giants and tied for 13th in the majors. By comparison, former Giants reliever Camilo Doval was -7, and fellow starter Robbie Ray was -6.

Runners swiped nine bases on Webb’s watch, a vast improvement over 2024 (21) and 2023 (20).

“I just wanted to get better at it,” Webb said. “I didn’t necessarily think it would result in a Gold Glove, but I always thought maybe I could do it.”

Webb was convinced he needed to improve after a June 2024 game in St. Louis when the Cardinals ran at will. Even 245-pound backup catcher Pedro Pagés, never known for his speed, swiped a bag off Webb, which Webb called a “lowpoint.”

“I really felt like I got exposed,” he said.

Things changed in spring training. Webb credited Melvin and coaches Matt Williams, Mark Hallberg, J.P. Martinez, and Garvin Alston for helping him reach a higher standard. He also spoke with Mets running coach Antoan Richardson, a former Giants coach, when the team was in New York.

“I think BoMel gave me some crap about it a little bit,” Webb said. “I definitely didn’t want to put him or anybody on the team in a bad spot. … I just tried to pick as many brains as I can to see if I can get better at it and learn some new things.”

It wasn’t just holding runners. Webb, whose sinker generates constant groundballs including comebackers, posted a 7 defensive runs saved, trailing only the Yankees’ Max Fried among big-league pitchers, a considerable upgrade from his cumulative -4 DRS from 2019 through 2024.

Bailey’s second straight Gold Glove was no surprise. Suffice it to say he was at the top of most every defensive metric, and his framing numbers were especially elite. It’ll be a storyline next season whether his framing ability will maintain its high value as Major League Baseball adds the challenge system for balls and strikes.

“Not only does he want to be the best catcher in baseball,” Webb said, “he wants to be known as the best defender in baseball.”

The next step for Webb is bragging to buddies Brandon Crawford and Matt Chapman, who won a collective nine Gold Gloves. It’s the second for Bailey.

“I’m going to tell these guys if I can win it, anybody can win it,” quipped Webb. “But, no, to be able to say you’re one of the best defenders or the best defender at your position in your league is really cool.”