The San Francisco Giants entered 2026 with questions about the back end of their rotation. Landen Roupp arrived as the fifth starter behind Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, and Adrian Houser. Three starts into the season, that billing already feels conservative.
Roupp has picked up right where he left off before a knee injury cut short his impressive 2025 campaign. Through three outings, he carries a 3.24 ERA with 18 strikeouts and five walks in 16 2/3 innings. The numbers have been encouraging. So has the way he is getting people out.
On Monday, Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow went further than most would dare this early in the season.
What Krukow Said About Roupp
GettyLanden Roupp of the San Francisco Giants.
Krukow has been watching Roupp closely since he first came up, and his assessment on KNBR 680’s Murph and Markus on Monday morning was unambiguous.
“He’s a monster,” Krukow said. “I’ve liked this guy since the first day I’ve seen him.”
He went on to explain what has changed. Roupp arrived as a two-pitch pitcher, relying heavily on a sinker-curveball combination. That version of him no longer exists.
“He’s come so far so quickly,” Krukow said. “I think the sky’s the limit with this guy. I think he’s going to be an All-Star. That’s what I think of him.”
The prediction is bold for a pitcher with fewer than 30 major league starts to his name. The evidence behind it is hard to argue with.
What Has Changed in Roupp’s Game
Krukow pointed specifically to the influence of Webb on how Roupp has developed. The two share a similar approach, using the bottom of the zone as their primary weapon while mixing in elevated pitches to keep hitters off balance.
Roupp has added a reliable changeup to go alongside that foundation, giving him a third weapon that has made him considerably harder to sit on. Rather than nibbling when in trouble, he now attacks with conviction across multiple pitches. The refinement has been rapid.
Last season, Roupp posted a 3.80 ERA across 106 2/3 innings in 22 starts before the knee injury ended his year in August. At 27 years old, he arrived at spring training healthy and with a clearer understanding of what he is as a pitcher. The early results suggest the development continued over the winter.
Final Word for the Giants
Krukow’s prediction may prove premature. But the foundation is there. Roupp has developed into a legitimate multi-weapon starter in a short period of time, and the Giants have benefited directly from that growth.
If the progression continues, San Francisco has something genuinely valuable at the back of their rotation. Krukow believes the ceiling is higher than that.
Three starts in, the early evidence is hard to ignore.
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