Early Saturday, news broke that the Atlanta Braves earned a place on Madison Bumgarner’s no-trade list. Chances are very good that doesn’t mean what you think it does.
Last offseason, many speculated – including me – that Madison Bumgarner looked a good fit for the Atlanta Braves. The Giants didn’t shop him because he had a rough 2017 and 2018 due to injuries and the Braves did nothing after the Josh Donaldson signing.
Alan wrote about the recent changes to Bumgarner’s no-trade Saturday. Reports say that this no-trade is designed to allow him something most pitchers don’t get, a negotiating window with the teams who want him.
Maybe there’s something else going on here, though.
In many ways, this mirrors Shohei Ohtani’s search for the right team, albeit with a shorter window and a different reason. Ohtani wanted a place that allowed him to play on both sides of the ball, that means an American League had the advantage.
The Japanese Babe Ruth took a significantly smaller contract to get what he wanted. I believe Bumgarner will do the same, and this was his way of signaling that to the teams involved.
A close look at the no-trade list shows only teams with postseason potential. Either Bumgarner isn’t interested in another ring to go with the three he already owns, or he has another motive.
He watched the last free-agent market leave good pitchers like Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel on the sidelines and saw others wait very late to get a contract or not sign at all.
That’s a stressful situation for a player and his family, Bumgarner wants to avoid that, and the no-trade clause provides him the opportunity.