Could Bumgarner be on trade block?
ORLANDO — As the Giants’ miserable season wound down, the front office designated only three untradeable players with 2018 on the horizon: Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Madison Bumgarner. Has that changed? Posey and Crawford have full no-trade protection in their contracts, but Bumgarner can be dealt without his consent and has just two years remaining before free agency.
Would the Giants part with their celebrated left-hander — especially if he could command a $200 million contract in two years and the Giants don’t figure to be championshipcaliber next year — to fill multiple holes on a roster that needs drastic upgrading?
“It’s not our plan,” general
manager Bobby Evans said Monday, the first day of the GM meetings in Orlando. “We want Bumgarner to be a part of it. We see him as part of the solution.”
Asked if teams have called about Bumgarner’s availability, Evans didn’t deny it, but said a team coming off 98 losses tends to receive inquiries about its top talent.
“He’s one of our best players,” Evans said. “We’re trying to compete, so trading one of our best players is not our strategy.”
Evans did say the Giants are prepared to trade popular players if that provides a better chance to become more competitive. They need a revamped outfield, third baseman and much more power, not to mention bullpen help.
“We’ve got to get stronger in a number of areas,” Evans said, “and it’s going to require that we be creative. It does require sacrifices. If you’re weakening an area of your major-league club, you have to strengthen other areas to justify it.”
Evans, accompanied at the meetings by executive vice president Brian Sabean and other club officials, said the Giants are “open to surpassing the (competitive-balance-tax threshold) if we need to.” That would mean exceeding $197 million in payroll, subjecting them to harsher penalties as a four-time luxury-tax offender.
If the Giants want to compete in 2018, it might be the only choice.
Evans said more outfield options are through trades than free agency, and Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton could be available as a major defensive improvement. The biggest name is Miami right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who would be an ideal fit, the 10 years and $285 million (plus a $10 million buyout) left on his contract notwithstanding.
Stanton has a no-trade clause and would need to approve any deal. Officials from the Giants and Marlins are expected to meet before the GM meetings close Wednesday.
“There are a lot of rumors out there. He’s been traded 15 million different places,” said Michael Hill, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations. “We’ll take our time here and meet with my counterparts and get a feel for what the future holds.”
The Giants have checked on several bullpen options, including Brandon Morrow, who went to Rancho Cotate High-Rohnert Park and Cal.
The Chronicle confirmed a New York Post report that Hensley Meulens, recently promoted from hitting coach to bench coach, will interview for the Yankees’ managing job. The Giants, hoping to groom Meulens as their manager of the future, don’t want to step in the way of a coach getting a manager’s gig elsewhere and granted the Yankees permission. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey