The Atlanta Braves are in need of starting pitching as their front office prepares for the offseason, and they may be gearing up for a run at veteran left-hander Madison Bumgarner.
Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported earlier this week that the Braves have made Bumgarner their top target and hope to make contact with him immediately.
Bumgarner posted a 3.90 ERA in 34 starts (which led all of baseball) for the Giants last season. Though he has not been the dominant force that he was in the middle of the decade, Bumgarner posted his highest K/9 since 2016 and had a respectable 1.127 WHIP.
Most notably, Bumgarner only just turned 30, something that consistently seems to fall under the radar with respect to his market.
The Braves are typically not among the preeminent buyers on the market, but they could look to snatch up Bumgarner while other teams lobby for Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.
How would he fit into the rotation in Atlanta?
Close to home
First off, it is worth noting that the Braves present Bumgarner with the best chance to “go home,” so to speak.
The Hickory, NC native has spent his entire career on the West Coast with the Giants, but with one stroke of the pen can take his talents to a legitimate World Series contender while also having the opportunity to pitch closer to home.
Bumgarner still has plenty of ties to Hickory. He garnered some press in 2015 because he was chopping down trees in the offseason, and he has a strong affinity for his hometown (via Ted Berg of USA TODAY Sports):
“There’s so much green that I forget about when I’m gone,” he tells For The Win. “I love it here. Love the land, love the people, the weather, everything. There’s no place like home, that’s for sure.
“We’ve got a lot of horses, and they have a very distinct smell about them. Anybody out there that owns them knows what I’m talking about. You miss that, and the smell of the woods, the grass, the creeks. All the different smells that you don’t get a chance to be around living downtown somewhere.”
Some players do not want to deal with the pressure of pitching close to home. New York native Patrick Corbin might have elected to come to the Yankees had they offered a six-year deal, but he felt perfectly comfortable signing with the Washington Nationals and winning a World Series in the process.
However, Bumgarner would have the advantage of coming to an organization that has not only coveted him for the last year, but also has the chance to contend throughout the life of his potential contract.
Left-handed ace
There is no question that Dallas Keuchel was an excellent signing for the Braves this past summer. In 19 starts, Keuchel went 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA, and in typical fashion he pounded opposing hitters into the ground.
But with Keuchel back on the open market and Bumgarner available, the Braves have an immediate opportunity to add a left-handed anchor to their rotation.
Bumgarner's peripherals were vastly better than Keuchel's in 2019 even in a “down” year. He posted a higher K/9 and a lower WHIP while also registering a 3.90 FIP in comparison to Keuchel's 4.72 FIP.
Pundits have made a lot of noise regarding Bumgarner's rising HR/9 rate, but Keuchel posted the exact same number in that category last season.
Not to mention, Bumgarner is a full year younger than Keuchel. Not bad for a guy that has already won three World Series titles and added a World Series MVP, to boot.
Veteran leader
One of the reasons that the Braves loved Josh Donaldson so much is because of the grittiness and leadership that he brought to a young clubhouse.
Grit and leadership, huh? Madison Bumgarner has all but defined those intangibles throughout his career. After all, this is the same guy that pitched five scoreless innings of relief on just two days rest in Game 7 of the World Series.
Bumgarner is the perfect guy to lead Atlanta's young group of arms. Remember, Mike Soroka has already established himself as a future NL Cy Young candidate, and Max Fried should improve. That is before we even get to up-and-coming arms like Ian Anderson.
The Braves have lost in the NLDS in consecutive seasons. They could use Bumgarner's pedigree–in addition to his talent and ability to eat innings–to help them take the next step as World Series contenders.
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