How Orioles’ Jacob Webb went from waiver claim to cut candidate to dominant reliever: ‘He’s a bulldog’

During spring training, Jacob Webb had no idea if he was going to make the Orioles’ roster.

Now, it’s hard to imagine Baltimore’s bullpen without him.

After a solid final two months with the Orioles last season, Webb has emerged so far this year as one of Brandon Hyde’s most-trusted relievers. That was never more evident than last week when the right-hander twice dominated the middle of the New York Yankees’ feared lineup, including strikeouts of slugger Aaron Judge in high-leverage moments.

“He’s a bulldog in every sense,” Hyde said. “He wants the ball.”

Nine months ago, Webb was a castoff after the Los Angeles Angels designated him for assignment and 27 teams passed on claiming him. The Orioles did and reaped the rewards down the stretch, but after his postseason letdown and a competitive camp, he was one of several relievers in a battle for a few bullpen spots.

Six weeks after making the team, he’s proved himself as a valuable arm and one of the most efficient relievers in the major leagues. Webb has a 1.84 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings this season. He ranks sixth in ERA among relievers with 16 or more appearances and 12th in MLB in strikeout-to-walk percentage.

“There’s definitely some great arms in this org, and there was some very close competition throughout spring training,” Webb said. “At the same time, I had confidence in my ability and my stuff.”

But Webb hasn’t come out of nowhere.

His career ERA, including his days with the Atlanta Braves, is 2.86. And there also isn’t one magic bullet that’s led to his success. He added a sweeper to his arsenal that aids him in getting right-handed batters out. After struggling with command at points in his career, he’s walked just three batters in 14 2/3 innings this year. As a new dad, he has extra motivation to stick in the big leagues and provide for his family.

“Baseball is a crazy sport,” he said. “You kind of expect the unexpected. I think being able to just have trust in your ability and go out there and compete every day is more so what I focus on rather than what team is trading for me or what’s happening in the current.”

Danny Coulombe isn’t surprised by Webb’s success. In fact, he knew Webb, 30, would be a lockdown reliever before ever seeing him pitch as an Oriole.

Before Baltimore claimed Webb, Coulombe remembers watching an Angels game with fellow Orioles reliever Mike Baumann when Webb entered in an impossible situation. The Orioles were on a team flight to Chicago on a Thursday night, and Webb relieved Angels closer Carlos Estévez after he walked the bases loaded to open the ninth of a 5-2 game. Webb escaped the jam for the save and, without knowing it, endeared himself to future teammates.

“That was the first time I ever saw him pitch. We still talk about it,” Coulombe said. “I was like, ‘Wow that guy is pretty impressive.’ When we got him, we were all thinking the same thing. He’s just a dog out there.”

Webb began his MLB career with the Braves, going 4-0 with a 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 innings. He pitched in the postseason for Atlanta in 2020 and 2021. But his career hit a snag in 2022, as an ankle injury hampered his delivery and diminished his stuff, keeping him in the minors the whole year. He returned to the show in 2023 with the Angels, but he walked 14.3% of opposing hitters before he was let go.

At the end of his tenure with Los Angeles, he virtually stopped throwing his changeup. It’s now his best pitch, rejuvenating the offering that helped him dominate as a rookie with Atlanta. According to Baseball Savant’s run value, Webb’s changeup is the fourth best in the majors on a per-pitch basis with the third-most horizontal movement.

But being reliant on his changeup caused him troubles at times versus right-handed batters, as Webb has slight reverse splits, pitching better to lefties than righties. But an improved sweeper — the slider he began throwing in 2023 — has allowed him to pitch in any situation Hyde needs him to.

“I feel like I’m definitely more confident in what I have pitch wise,” Webb said. “Previous years I didn’t really have the slider I have now, so it makes it a lot tougher on righties now. I was mostly a fastball-changeup guy pretty much my entire career until recently. To have three pitches that are really good pitches helps me to be able to navigate righty and lefty.”

Webb said a big part of his confidence when he takes the mound is that he’s there to succeed. He believes the Orioles’ pitching department is developing strong game plans for him to attack certain hitters in opposing lineups, and Hyde is putting him in games in situations the club is confident he will thrive in.

“They really set you up for success here,” Webb said. “That’s been a lot of the reason why I’ve had success here. They use me in situations where they feel confident and also I feel confident. I feel like that’s a huge part of it.”

Last week, however, Webb wasn’t put in easy spots. Both times he pitched versus the Yankees the first batter he faced was Judge, who hit 62 home runs and won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 2022. He struck out Judge both times, including once with two outs in the eighth before earning his first save as an Oriole in the ninth.

Jacob Webb's 3Ks. pic.twitter.com/4yD3Ds3uNL

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 1, 2024

Hyde even acknowledged the tough assignment, noting it came as Webb was likely fatigued after pitching in 16 of the Orioles’ first 31 games. But the confidence Hyde had in Webb to pitch in those high-pressure moments is a self-fulfilling prophecy, giving Webb the belief to succeed in them.

“You feel that trust, for sure, to go in and face some giants,” Webb said. “But they do a lot of game planning and searching where I would be successful in that lineup. I feel like if they’re putting me in those positions in that type of order, I feel like they feel confident in putting me in there. It gives me all the confidence in the world to go out there and do my thing.”

The goal of remaining in the majors with the AL’s best team offers plenty of incentive for Webb to continue his hot start to the season. But none of that compares to the drive he’s experienced the past six weeks. In late March, Webb and his wife welcomed their daughter, Hudson, into the world.

“It’s changed me mentally,” Webb said of becoming a father. “I’ve got something to work for now.”