Madison Bumgarner will be staying with the Giants despite offseason rumors that he’s going to be traded for future assets. But if Giants fans were biting their nail before the confirmation took place, MadBum wasn’t worried at all.
“I feel the exact same, honestly. I feel I've done a good job of not letting that stuff creep into my head,” Madison Bumgarner told the media before the Giants went up against the Phillies on Wednesday.
However, relief pitchers Ray Black, Sam Dyson, Drew Pomeranz, and Mark Melancon were all sent packing, with the Giants holding on to Will Smith. But Farhan Zaidi, president of baseball operations for the Giants, has been criticized by some and argued that he should’ve traded Madison Bumgarner as the team would’ve made quite the haul if he pulled the trigger, San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Madison Bumgarner to stay with the Giants for three more months
With the Yankees itching to acquire a pitcher for their roster, the 30-year-old would’ve been an attractive addition to the team, and they might have offered some gleaming package in exchange for Madison Bumgarner. But MadBum is here to stay, and that’s that.
At least, in the next two months. Three if the Giants make the postseason. After that, Madison Bumgarner will enter free agency, and Zaidi will have to make a hard decision then. Zaidi holding on to the 2014 World Series MVP is due to him not wanting to give up on 2019 just yet.
Some believe Madison Bumgarner should’ve been traded
The Giants have been 21-9 in their last 30 games, and Madison Bumgarner was a huge part of that impressive run. Zaidi recently hailed Bumgarner’s ability to lead the team who’s trailing behind, citing the 30-year-old’s tenacity and grit when his team is backed against the wall. But some fans believe Zaidi could’ve flipped MadBum for more future assets and quicken the rebuilding phase of the team. This is especially true if the Astros was desperate enough to put together a deal that would’ve equal what the Diamondbacks got for Greinke.
But that is neither here nor there, and we’ll simply need to wait a few months what Zaidi plans for Madison Bumgarner and the Giants. Meanwhile, the team is still gunning for a playoff spot this postseason, and it would be interesting to see if MadBum’s leadership role will indeed see them through the uphill climb.
