Los Angeles Dodgers: Reasons why Madison Bumgarner won’t come to LA
By Jason Reed
1. Bumgarner’s production does not equal his likely cost
Madison Bumgarner has been one of the biggest pitching names in the MLB over the last half-decade because of his stellar performances in the postseason. While he was great in the regular season, he was never a Cy Young finalist but would look unhittable in the postseason.
His run in the 2014 playoffs is one of the most impressive stretches in MLB history. Bumgarner threw 52 and two-thirds innings in the 2014 playoffs with a 1.03 ERA and 49 strikeouts. He allowed one run in 21 innings in the World Series.
However, over the last few seasons, Bumgarner has looked much more human and has not even been an all-star since the 2016 season.
He missed half of both 2017 and 2018 then returned for a full 2019, where he was good, but not great. He finished the season with a 3.90 ERA and a 5.29 ERA away from San Francisco.
There is a real chance that Bumgarner thrives on the Dodgers as they do a wonderful job in scouting for the pitchers and maximizing the talent on the rubber. However, there is also the chance that he continues this downwards slide with his long mileage and injuries, similar to Clayton Kershaw, even though Bumgarner is only 30 years old.
Personally, I can see Bumgarner getting something along the lines of a four-year deal with $100 million this winter. For a team that is going to be a top-five pitching team with or without Bumgarner, that is a steep price to pay.