Madison Bumgarner reaches 5-year, $85M deal with D-backs, sources say

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Monday, December 16, 2019

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal, sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The value of the contract was first reported by The Athletic.There is $15 million of deferred money in the deal.

This marks the second time in four years the typically frugal Diamondbacks have signed a top-tier, free-agent pitcher. In 2015, Arizona added right-hander Zack Greinke on a $206.5 million, six-year deal.

Arizona went 85-77 last season and traded Greinke to Houston in late July. The Diamondbacks haven't had a lot of success in October lately, not winning a game in the National League Championship Series round since taking their only World Series title, in 2001.

Bumgarner will join a rotation that includes right-handers Zac Gallen, Luke Weaver and Merrill Kelly and left-hander Robbie Ray, who is in the final year of his contract and sources said is likely to move in a trade. If Ray is dealt, left-hander Alex Young or right-hander Mike Leake would fill out the rotation.

The 30-year-old Bumgarner, the Most Valuable Player of the 2014 World Series for the San Francisco Giants, went 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA last season, following two somewhat forgettable injury-shortened seasons.

In 2019, Bumgarner bounced back to tie for the National League lead with 34 starts and was second with 207 innings pitched, which erased many doubts that the Giants icon could again showcase his trademark durability.

A 10-year veteran, "MadBum" logged six straight seasons with double-digit wins, more than 200 innings and 30-plus starts -- finishing with 18, 18 and 15 wins, respectively, in 2012, 2013and 2014. But the 6-foot-4 left-hander went 4-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 17 starts in 2017, when he missed nearly three months following a dirt bike accident during an off day in Colorado. He threw just 111 innings that season to match his career-low total from 2010, when he was promoted to the majors in June.

Then, Bumgarner broke the pinkie on his pitching hand when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City Royals hitter Whit Merrifield in his final 2018 spring training start, and he underwent surgery to insert pins into the finger. He returned in June and wound up going 6-7 with a 3.26 ERA in 21 starts and 129 innings.

In April 2012, Bumgarner signed a $35.56 million, six-year deal through 2017 that included $12 million in club options for both 2018 and '19. Before San Francisco staged a bit of a midseason surge to get into playoff contention this past season, Bumgarner was mentioned as a potential top trade target prior to the July 31 deadline.

Bumgarner has 1,794 strikeouts, which ranks 14th on the active list, and has a career record of 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA. He was a clutch postseason pitcher in each of San Francisco's World Series-winning campaigns in 2010, '12 and '14.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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