There’s a decision looming for the San Francisco Giants as they play out the remainder of what has been a lost season.
Ace starter Madison Bumgarner has a team option for the 2019 season and could very well hit free agency after that. The 29-year-old starter also said in a recent Q&A with Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s open to discussing an extension.
The issue? According to the three-time world champ, the Giants have yet to approach him about an extension.
“Bumgarner said he remains open to extension negotiations, but he and his representative have not heard from the club,” the report noted.
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that San Francisco will pick up Bumgarner’s $12 million option for the 2019 season. That’s a bargain-bin rate for an ace starter and consistent Cy Young candidate.
Though, as Schulman notes, there’s also a chance San Francisco decides to go full-bore ahead with its rebuild. That would include trading one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history. Given his $12 million option for next season, a whole plethora of teams would be interested in Bumgarner’s services.
As it relates to the pitcher, he would love to finish his career with the Giants. He also knows that it’s completely out of his hands at this point.
“I’d like to be here,” he said. “I guess it’s a little early to talk about finishing my career, but I’d like to be here my whole career. But that’s not 100 percent in my control.”
A nine-year veteran, Bumgarner is pitching to a 6-6 record with a 3.14 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 19 starts this season.