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Baggarly: Madison Bumgarner threw bullpen session with wife before game vs. Mets

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© Cary Edmondson | 2019 Apr 26


The Giants lost two of three to the Dodgers this past weekend, but it didn’t come without some strong performances from fan favorites. Giants ace, Madison Bumgarner, looked the part on Sunday as he tossed seven innings while only allowing a first inning home run to Max Muncy, which set off some fireworks.

Speaking of Bumgarner, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic recalled a funny story that Giants manager, Bruce Bochy, told him during the team’s most recent off day while they were in New York. The majority of the players had their families in town and took the off day to enjoy everything New York City has to offer. However, Bumgarner didn’t want to waver from his routine.

“For Bumgarner, that’s the day before his start so it was his throw day,” Baggs said. “He’s got a routine that he keeps and he throws at the ballpark where he’s going to pitch the next day. So he went all the way to Queens on the off day. He didn’t want to bother a coach, he didn’t want to bother Taira Uematsu, the bullpen catcher. He didn’t want to take that off day away from anybody else on staff.

“So he came back from Citi Field and Bruce Bochy sees him in the lobby of the hotel and goes “well who’d you play catch with?” Madison points to his wife Ali, and well, he played catch with her. So apparently she can handle 88 mph cutters on a flat ground. Pretty darn cool.”

It has been this sort of mentality and preparation from Bumgarner that helped bring the organization its three championships in five years.

In what many people believe could have been Bumgarner’s last start against the Dodgers at Oracle Park, he looked sharp in seven innings against a strong Dodger lineup. Baggarly brought up the inevitable trade rumors that have surrounded the Giants pitcher throughout this entire season.

“We all know how important it is going to be when they trade this guy, assuming they do, to get a meaningful return, and to really start to restock this system and try to prepare for the next really good contending Giants team.”

Anytime the pitcher takes the mound it’s a chance for possible trade suitors to see which Bumgarner they are getting, since he has spent much of the past two seasons dealing with injuries. Nonetheless, Baggarly thinks people surrounding the Giants organization are going about it in a strange way.

“We focus so much on: oh what does this mean he had a good start, or his fastball velocity was X, or he was able to get through seven innings against a good lineup like the Dodgers. You know, let’s stop commoditizing this guy and maybe look at what is going to have to be replaced that is pretty irreplaceable.”

Madison Bumgarner has looked strong in his last few starts, which will obviously help his trade value. Giants fans must get ready to embrace for the day where they could see one of the all-time greats donning a different uniform.

Listen to the full interview below. To hear Baggarly on the Giants, start from the beginning.