Madison Bumgarner could be back sooner than the Giants initially thought
After a great first rehab start, Madison Bumgarner may skip a few steps and make his next start for the Giants.
After an injury-shortened 2017, a comebacker off his pitching hand late in spring training delayed the start to 2018 for Madison Bumgarner. But he has been making consistent progress in his return from a fractured left pinkie, and after just one rehab start Bumgarner could return to the Giants’ starting rotation as soon as next Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Bumgarner faced 12 batters and threw 47 pitches for Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, striking out eight over 3.2 hitless innings. Just a couple weeks ago Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy told the media Bumgarner would make at least three rehab starts, but that great first outing has upped that return timetable significantly.
After going completely in the tank last year when Bumgarner missed significant time in the first half with a shoulder injury, the Giants are hanging around in his absence so far this year. Entering Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, they are just 2.5 games back in the NL West as the Arizona Diamondbacks are scuffling and the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to get back on track after a rough start. Adding Bumgarner back atop the starting rotation would practically be like a trade acquisition for San Francisco heading into June.
Everything went as well as could be expected last night with Bumgarner. It could be within realm of possibility that the Giants activate him against the Phillies next weekend, with a pitch count limited to 70ish.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 27, 2018
Instead of pitching to Triple-A hitters for his next start, Bumgarner would take the next step in his rehab process on a major league mound at home against the Phillies sometime next weekend. By all accounts, his pitch count would be capped somewhere around 70, so the Giants clearly aren’t going to be reckless with their ace.
Bumgarner can absolutely help the Giants in the National League playoff race. If they somehow fall completely out of the race before late-July, it’s not out of the question he would become a trade target for some teams. After this season, as of right now, all that’s left on Bumgarner’s contract is a $12 million club option for next year.
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As long as he has no setbacks with his finger in the coming days, there’s no reason for Bumgarner to face minor league hitters going forward. To either help a playoff push or to pitch like a former World Series MVP independent of his teammates and bring a big return in a trade, the Giants need Bumgarner back in their rotation as soon as possible.