This NL Central team entered Mad-Bum fray

December 5th, 2019

The market is beginning to take shape, with one executive predicting that the left-hander will sign prior to next week’s Winter Meetings in San Diego.

And while several clubs have been linked to Bumgarner, including the Twins, Reds, White Sox and Braves, a source told MLB.com that a new potential bidder could be entering the fray: the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals have already brought back this winter, signing the veteran to a $5 million deal with another $5 million in incentives included in the contract. With Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas and Dakota Hudson locked into the rotation, St. Louis’ rotation appears to be in good shape, though adding an arm of Bumgarner’s caliber would certainly make them better.

Bumgarner is widely expected to land a deal worth at least $100 million, especially after Zack Wheeler received a five-year contract worth $118 million on Wednesday.