Madison Bumgarner’s name will be thrown around a few hundred times between now and July 31 -- or whatever day the Giants trade their longtime ace.
The Astros, Yankees, Twins, Rays and Angels have all been mentioned at one point or another as American League teams that might have interest in dealing for the left-hander, who turns 30 on Aug. 1.
But what would those teams be getting?
Bumgarner hasn’t pitched like the No. 1 starter teams are seeking, posting a 4.21 ERA in 17 starts this season. He’s pitched to a 4.71 ERA in five June starts, but as we’ve seen in past years, a move to a contender can often breathe new life into a veteran.
Just two years ago, Justin Verlander was seemingly beginning the descent into the back end of his career at age 34, carrying an ERA of nearly 5.00 into the second half of the season. Pitching for a bad Tigers team, Verlander turned things around in the second half, posting a 2.31 ERA from July 8-Aug. 30, but his last-second trade to the Astros on the night of Aug. 31 pushed him to another level.
Verlander went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five September starts for Houston, then went 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in the postseason as the Astros won their first World Series title. Did the trade play a part in reinvigorating Verlander?
“I wouldn’t say it was adrenaline; it definitely was a whirlwind,” Verlander said. “My new teammates did an incredible job to make me feel at ease right away. The change of scenery was kind of cool, going from an organization that I had always been with to a new one with a bunch of young guys. There was a different kind of respect thing that they had from afar that wasn’t really there in Detroit anymore, just because I had been there so long. It was cool to see some of the young guys picking my brain, asking a lot of questions, pumping me up.”
Verlander had pitched in 16 postseason games across five seasons during his career before joining the Astros, reaching two World Series with the Tigers. Bumgarner has played into October four times, establishing a reputation as one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time. With the Giants headed nowhere this season, Bumgarner is the most obvious trade candidate in the league; despite his mediocre season, could a move to a contender turn him into the pitcher that helped carry San Francisco to three World Series titles from 2010-14?
“I think it can be a factor for guys like Bum who definitely thrive on the moment,” Verlander said. “They want the big game, they want that moment. When you thrive in those moments, it’s kind of hard to get yourself up -- especially after being in the league for 10 years -- for games where you know you’re not really trying to win anything. That being said, we all take pride in our job, so nobody would ever admit that. For guys that have that motivation and like the big moments, maybe a little something kicks in. Who knows? You know he likes those moments.”
Bumgarner has a limited no-trade clause in his contract, which reportedly allows him to block deals to the Astros, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Red Sox and Yankees. That’s not to say he would reject a deal to one of those clubs, though he could demand some type of incentive to waive the clause.
Series to watch: Rangers at Rays
It’s difficult to believe anybody looked at the schedule prior to the season and circled this weekend series at Tropicana Field as a big one, but, well, that’s why they play the games. Texas and Tampa Bay have been jockeying for position in the AL Wild Card race, one which has six teams within 3 1/2 games of a postseason berth. This is the first time the two clubs will meet this season, though the Rays will visit Texas in mid-September for three games that could help determine the postseason picture.
Stealth star of the week
If you’ve been paying attention this season, you won’t be surprised to see DJ LeMahieu’s name in this section. The Yankees’ infielder had another stellar week to pace a Yanks offense that won five of six games. LeMahieu hit .591 (13-for-27) with a 1.985 OPS, four home runs and eight RBIs, picking up his first four-hit game as a Yankee. For the season, LeMahieu has an AL-leading .336 average, a .906 OPS, 12 homers and 54 RBIs, leaving him only 12 RBIs shy of his career high.