Cross another name off the list of available starting pitchers. The San Francisco Giants will not be dealing Madison Bumgarner.
Any MLB General Managers hoping to swing a big deal for Madison Bumgarner this week can turn their attention towards other trade targets. The Giants insist they won’t deal their ace under any circumstances ahead of the trade deadline.
The news in and of itself isn’t a surprise. The interesting aspect of this is just how adamant the Giants are being with their position. Bobby Evans’ decision to take the news public is a clear message to Bumgarner that they intend to build around him instead of using him to acquire young players for the future.
It’s important to remember that Bumgarner has been a part of the Giants’ major league club since he was a teenager. He broke into the majors at 19 and he’s been a key part of the San Francisco rotation ever since. At 29 years of age there’s no sign of him slowing down either. He’s been excellent after returning to full health this year. His 3.19 ERA in nine starts shows he’s clearly got the ability to be the team’s ace.
It’s possible that the Giants are missing a massive opportunity to sell high on Bumgarner. The lack of quality starting pitching available this summer means they could demand a king’s ransom for his services. Teams like the Cubs or Yankees might be willing to offer multiple premium prospects to acquire a starter of his caliber. That opportunity might not be available once the offseason arrives.
Just because Bumgarner isn’t going to be moved, it doesn’t mean he won’t lose a few teammates. Evans did admit publicly that some of the team’s talented relief corps could be on the move. None of those players have the same sort of value that Bumgarner possesses, but they still could help bring back meaningful prospects to the Bay Area club.
Next: Yankees maintain their conservative trade policy
Bumgarner may not finish his career with the Giants, but he will finish the 2018 season in San Francisco. That’s great news for Giants fans but bad news for contenders looking to add an ace hurler before the deadline.