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

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Madison Bumgarner is one of the best MLB free agents with a lot of postseason experience. Here are three teams that need his services.

Madison Bumgarner is not the ace that he used to be and everyone including him knows that. But he is still a very good and consistent starter that could slide right into the #2 or #3 spot in the rotation of a contending team.

He would fit into a mentorship role with teams that likely have a lot of young starting pitching, who haven’t really had a lot of experience in the playoffs. But Bumgarner, on the other hand, is the exact opposite.

As you know, Bumgarner won three World Series titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014 and was most notably made famous in the 2014 World Series when he closed out Game 7 against the Royals with five innings of relief.

Teams who even have starting pitching could add the veteran lefty because he has shown that he can start games and pitch out of the bullpen in October.

Showing the ability to do those two things could make teams like the Houston Astros or the New York Yankees want to take a look at him, especially when it seems likely they will be without Gerrit Cole on Opening Day in 2020.

Madison Bumgarner is still going to have a very good market despite the very deep starting pitching market this winter that includes the likes of Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler, and Rick Porcello.

Bumgarner has something that those pitchers don’t have: a switch that turns on in the postseason when games matter the most, you know he will step up.

So, without further ado here are the top three contenders in need of Bumgarner’s services from #3 to #1.

(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.

MLB Free Agents: 3 Contenders for MadBum

Suitor #2: Philadelphia Phillies

The second suitor is the Philadelphia Phillies, who will be entering 2020 with a lot of expectations in what will be Joe Girardi‘s first year at the top step as the Phillies new skipper.

Philadelphia has had a rotation problem for a few seasons now and has been the Achilles heel of their struggles. Aaron Nola has been the guy at the top of the rotation that has pretty much been forced to win every game he pitches or else the Phillies won’t be in contention at the end of the year due to the back end of the rotation.

After Nola in 2019, the best ERA in the rotation was that of Zach Eflin (4.13).

You might remember that the team has Jake Arrieta but if you look at his stats in his two season with the Phillies, it is easy to tell he is not the 2016 Jake Arrieta we saw in the postseason.

With all of that said, it is clear that Matt Klentak needs to address the starting pitching. He cannot really believe that they will reach the postseason with a rotation that is mediocre past his ace Aaron Nola.

In comes Madison Bumgarner.

Bumgarner would feed off of Phillie fans’ energy in the ballpark and would be able to produce consistent starts down the stretch, including the month of September which has been the month that things have tended to fall apart ever since Gabe Kapler was the skipper.

But with a new manager maybe things will change, and part of that change should come in Madison Bumgarner.

(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

MLB Free Agents: 3 Contenders for MadBum

Suitor #1: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves got humiliated just in the first inning of the final game of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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They allowed ten runs in the first inning and part of that was because they had Mike Foltynewicz on the mound and not an ace type arm.

And part of that was because Brian Snitker didn’t like Mike Soroka, his best starter, to pitch at home, which is a dumb decision in the playoffs when your season is on the line.

Looking past that, it is still clear that the Braves are in need of starting pitching help and there isn’t a better fit for them specifically than Mad Bum.

There was a report that came out this week that said GM Alex Anthopolous is going to make Bumgarner a “priority” when free agency begins and that the organization will make it clear to Bumgarner that they are invested in him.

If he were to sign with the Braves, it would be a great story, as he would be coming home and pitching in front of friends and family.

dark. Next. MLB Free Agents: Three landing spots for Gerrit Cole

I don’t think that the Braves will low ball Bumgarner either as they did to Dallas Keuchel last year by signing him when the regular season was already months in.

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