Giants exercise Bumgarner’s option, no guarantee he returns
SAN FRANCISCO — In what will go down as one the least surprising moves of the offseason, the Giants announced Monday that they have exercised the 2019 club option on Madison Bumgarner’s contract.
By picking up the option, San Francisco is slated to pay Bumgarner $12 million in 2019 before he’s scheduled to hit free agency next winter.
The Giants also elected to exercise infielder Pablo Sandoval’s club option Monday, giving the team another season of control for the versatile utility player.
Sandoval was one of five Giants reinstated from the 60-day disabled list Monday as San Francisco also moved catcher Buster Posey and pitchers Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Julian Fernandez back to the 40-man roster. After Monday’s transactions, the Giants now have 36 players on their 40-man roster.
The Giants and Bumgarner agreed to terms on a five-year, $35 million deal at the beginning the 2012 season when the left-hander had just one full major league season under his belt. The contract included an $11 million team option for 2018 and a $12 million team option for 2019, effectively giving the Giants seven years of control.
Bumgarner’s contract has turned into one of the most team-friendly deals in the free agency era, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll remain with the Giants next season. After back-to-back sub-.500 fin-
ishes, the Giants are searching for a new general manager to ignite a turnaround and the team’s ace is one of the few players with strong trade value.
Giants vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean said he and CEO Larry Baer would discuss Bumgarner’s future with the franchise during the interview process with general manager candidates this fall. That process remains ongoing, but several teams looking for an established starting pitcher with a strong October track record are expected to inquire about Bumgarner this offseason.
Bumgarner owns a 3.03 ERA through the first 10 seasons of his career, but has built his reputation through dominant postseason outings. In 16 career postseason appearances, Bumgarner has posted a 2.11 ERA in 102 1/3 innings and a 0.25 ERA in five World Series outings.
Despite a dip in his fastball velocity and significant injuries that forced him to miss time in each of the last two seasons, Bumgarner remains one of the most well-regarded starters in baseball because of the reputation he cultivated during playoff appearances. It’s possible a contender like the New York Yankees or Atlanta Braves could look to deal for Bumgarner this offseason, but if the Giants enter spring training with Bumgarner as their top starter, his name will remain a fixture in discussions through the trade deadline.