Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — The top of the starting-pitcher market is thinning, and Madison Bumgarner’s wallet will be widening.
The legendary Giants lefty is seeking a five-year deal, according to multiple reports, including the New York Post.
That theoretical pact by Bumgarner’s hopeful camp got a little bit closer to reality on Monday, when Stephen Strasburg, on the echelon above Bumgarner, reportedly agreed to a monster, seven-year, $245 million contract to stay with the Nationals. He surprisingly landed before Gerrit Cole, whose pact now should be pushing into the $300 million arena.
Below those two was Zack Wheeler, whose $118 million deal with the Phillies also opened a lot of eyes. And then there’s Bumgarner, who will turn 31 next season and will bring an unmatched postseason resume and more than 1,800 regular-season innings to his next stop. The Giants have said they have been in contact with Bumgarner’s representatives, but it is difficult to fathom Farhan Zaidi dishing out a contract of that length to a pitcher with that tread on his arm.
Other teams that have been linked to Bumgarner are the Twins, Braves, Diamondbacks, Phillies and possibly the Angels, whose No. 1 goal is Cole but figure to have Plan Bs.
The expectation is Cole will sign during the Winter Meetings, which end Thursday. Assuming his deal comes first, Bumgarner and the Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the next class to work with.