Is Fourth Time a Charm for Bumgarner and the Diamondbacks?
Game Preview: D-backs at Dodgers, April 1st, 6:10 P.M.
Television: AZ: BSAZ LAD: SNLA, Radio: AZ: 98.7 FM KHOV LAD: 570 KTNQ
To say that the Madison Bumgarner free agent signing has not panned out for the Diamondbacks would be an understatement. Signed prior to the 2020 season to a five year, $85 million contract, Bumgarner has gone 15-29 with a 4.98 ERA in 65 starts over the last three seasons. He still has two years, $37 million remaining on his deal, ($23 million in 2023 and $14 million in 2024).
The problems have been multifaceted. In the 2020 Pandemic shortened season he suffered an injury in his upper back, scapula area. In 2021 he missed almost six weeks with a shoulder injury. Healthy last year, making 30 starts, he still threw just 158.2 innings due to numerous short outings. (18 times failing to go at least six innings) After throwing over 200 innings every year from 2011 to 2016, he's qualified for the ERA title just once since, in 2019 while still with the Giants.
Certainly this is not what the D-backs envisioned when they signed this contract. Just a few months before signing him they moved Zack Greinke in a deadline trade to the Astros for prospects. Greinke had roughly $85 million left on his deal through 2021, and the D-backs absorbed $26 million of that to make the trade. Since being traded Greinke is 26-20 with a 3.82 ERA in 78 starts, 443 innings.
Despite all that, there is a glimmer of optimism. Never a slow worker to begin with, Bumgarner appears in great physical shape. That should help him as many other pitchers are trying to adjust to the new quicker pace with the pitch timer. He's also been using a new grip on his changeup in spring training with great effect. Never his best pitch, if he is able to finally add a good change that could be the addition to his Fastball/Cutter/Curveball arsenal to help him make the transition from power pitcher to wily veteran.
He's also adapted well to the PitchCom device, which allows him to call his own pitches. This is a big deal for a veteran pitcher throwing to the very youthful catching core of Gabriel Moreno and Jose Herrera. Only time will tell if any of that will help him regain effectiveness.
At the very least the Diamondbacks need Bumgarner to approach something akin to a league average innings eater. If he's unable to do that, and has a series of poor starts early in the season, the organization may decide to make a move and replace him in the rotation with one of the young pitching prospects in the system.
That re evaluation process starts tonight in Dodger stadium, with Bumgarner facing Clayton Kershaw. When able to post up last year, Kershaw was still terrific, going 12-3 with 2.28 ERA and a 0.942 WHIP. But he made just 22 starts as back and arm injuries limited his out put.
LINEUPS
Last night's hero Kyle Lewis is back in the leadoff spot he occupied on opening night Thursday. He went 0-4 with three strikeouts in that game, but last night came off the bench to hit a pinch hit two-run game winning homer in the 8th. Gabriel Moreno is making his third straight start behind the plate to begin the season. The rest of the lineup is essentially the right hand heavy order manager Torey Lovullo used on opening night, with the exception that Alek Thomas is in centerfield and Corbin Carroll slides over to RF. Jake McCarthy is on the bench tonight.
