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MLB Trade Rumors: 5 teams on the fence between buying and selling

By Rucker Haringey

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the first inning at AT&T Park on June 5, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the first inning at AT&T Park on June 5, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the second inning at AT&T Park on June 5, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the second inning at AT&T Park on June 5, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

2. San Francisco Giants – Buy

It’s not an exaggeration to say the return of Madison Bumgarner from injury changes everything for the Giants. Before his return they looked like a team that would fall out of contention quickly. Getting the chance to trot him out to the mound once out of every five games greatly improves San Francisco’s chances of winning the NL West.

That doesn’t mean the front office should sit back and wait for Bumgarner to fix all of their problems. They could certainly stand to add another arm or two to their pitching rotation. None of their current starters’ have an ERA of less than 4.54. That isn’t good enough to overtake the Diamondbacks and Dodgers.

The Giants also need to address the issue of Hunter Pence. He’s weighing their offense down with his .200 batting average on the young season. It’s possible his performance could improve with improved health, but the team would still be wise to acquire a potential replacement on the cheap.

The good news for Giants fans is that their team is trending in the right direction. Bumgarner’s return can cure a lot of the ills that plagued the team earlier this year. A few subtle moves by the front office could turn them into the favorites in the NL West. That won’t’ be easy, but it’s certainly doable. Time will tell if the Giants are willing to risk enough to go for postseason success this season.

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