MLB Trade Rumors 2019: Top 25 assets

2. Madison Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner has finally reached the end of the eight-year extension he signed in 2012, and the San Francisco Giants should be looking to move on from their postseason hero and focus more on their rebuilding efforts. The Giants probably could find the money to pay Bumgarner fair market value, but they have the second-worst record in the National League and a bleak future for the next three-to-five seasons. Trading MadBum makes more sense than trying to re-sign him.

Bumgarner’s postseason track record is well established, and he is the best World Series pitcher of this generation. He has had some injury issues the past two seasons (self-inflicted or not), but has performed well when healthy. Bumgarner is 113-89 for his career with a 3.07 ERA and four All-Star appearances.

It’s been in the playoffs where Bumgarner has really made himself a legend. In four career trips to the postseason, he is 8-3 in 16 appearances with a 2.11 ERA in over 100 innings. In San Francisco’s three World Series wins, he appeared in five games and is 4-0 with a 0.25 ERA in 36 innings with 31 strikeouts and only five walks.

Any contender that trades for Bumgarner is doing so in part hoping he can still reach the same levels of postseason dominance. The veteran left-hander has very shrewdly listed every major playoff contender on his no-trade list in an effort to control his fate. After 11 seasons in San Francisco with three championships, he has more than earned that right.