MLB Free Agents: Top 3 contenders in need of Madison Bumgarner

By Ben Fadden | Nov 8, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout during a ceremony to celebrate the career of retiring manager Bruce Bochy #15 of the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 29, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

MLB Free Agents: 3 Contenders for MadBum

Suitor #3: Washington Nationals

Some might be curious as to why I have listed the World Series champions as one of the teams that are in need of Madison Bumgarner but when you really think about their situation it is pretty clear why.

As you know Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg are MLB free agents, and while both will be top priorities, we all know that Washington is going to go after the position player first which is Rendon.

Therefore, Rendon is going to command at least $215 million, as that is likely the starting point to negotiations, as that was the Nats offer in September.

If the Nats give Rendon over $200 million, then all of Bryce Harper‘s money that was going to be allocated for him is gone because Rendon and Patrick Corbin‘s deals equal north of $330 million.

So, that means that the Nats are probably not going to be able to give Strasburg as much as he deserves, which is probably around $240 million.

So if Strasburg is out the door that leaves a hole in the rotation but the Nationals are going to want to contend again next season so they need a qualified starter to replace the World Series MVP.

In steps Madison Bumgarner.

The top three in the rotation would be Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, and Madison Bumgarner. That is not too bad considering (obviously hypotheticals here) that they lost one of the best starters in the game and they get to keep one of the best hitters in baseball, Anthony Rendon.

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