In the past, Hyun-jin Ryu (36, Toronto Blue Jays) was the ace of those days when he was tired of fighting. Madison Bumgarner (34, Arizona Diamondbacks) has been designated for assignment (DFA). Attention is focused on his future destination.
On the 21st, MLB.com, the official homepage of Major League Baseball,스포츠토토 announced that, citing a source, “The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated and allocated Bumgarner.”
In effect, it is a waiting-for-emission measure. In the ‘Transactions’ section of the glossary on the Major League homepage, it is stated that ‘the player assigned the designation is immediately removed from the Major League 40-man roster and has a trade or waiver period for the next 7 days’.
If they are not traded within this period or do not receive a claim from another club, they may be sent to the minor leagues under their team or released.
Bumgarner is the left-handed ace of the 2010s. For Korean fans, Ryu Hyun-jin is well known as the ace of the San Francisco Giants during his time playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bumgarner played for the San Francisco Giants for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2019. In the 2010, 2012 and 2014 seasons, he led San Francisco to World Series championships. In particular, in the 2014 season, he had the best year, winning the National League Championship Series MVP and World Series MVP respectively.
During his 11 years with San Francisco, Bumgarner appeared in 289 games and went 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA, reigning as an ace. From the 2011 season to the 2016 season, he won 13 or more wins for 6 consecutive years. He went through a difficult period due to injuries for two years from the 2017 season, but announced a revival in 2019 with a 9-9 record and an average ERA of 3.90
Eventually, after completing the 2019 season, he obtained FA (free agent) qualifications and headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The terms were five years and $85 million.
In particular, it was Bumgarner whose name was often mentioned along with Ryu Hyun-jin. Coincidentally, prior to the 2020 season, Ryu Hyun-jin also entered the free agency market and signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays for 4 years and 80 million dollars. Bumgarner had a little more in terms of total amount, but Ryu Hyun-jin was treated better in terms of annual average amount.
He also had many confrontations with Ryu Hyun-jin. In a total of nine matches, Ryu Hyun-jin posted a record of 3 wins and 3 losses, and Bumgarner posted a record of 3 wins and 4 losses, respectively. In particular, on May 2, 2019, in the last ninth confrontation between Ryu Hyun-jin and Bumgarner, Ryu Hyun-jin gave up 1 run in 8 innings and Bumgarner gave up 1 run in 6 innings.
However, Bumgarner started to go downhill from 2020, when a 60-game shortened season was held in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). In the 2020 season, he started 9 games and was shaken with a 6.48 ERA with 1 win and 4 losses.
In the 2021 season, he started in 26 games and recorded an average ERA of 4.67 with 7 wins and 10 losses. In the 2022 season, he started in 30 games and failed to show the same majesty as before with an average ERA of 4.88 with 7 wins and 15 losses. He posted a 5.23 earned run average in 69 starts over three seasons.
Eventually, this season, he started 4 games, lost 3 losses without a win, and had an ERA of 10.26. He threw 16⅔ total innings, giving up 25 hits, 15 walks, 10 strikeouts, and 19 earned runs, with a WHIP (on-base percentage per inning) of 2.40.
MLB.com said, “Bumgarner is currently on a four-year contract with Arizona, and the club will pay $23 million in 2023 and $14 million in 2024, respectively.” From the point of view of the Arizona club and fans, ‘eating and running’ has become a reality. What team will Bumgarner play for the rest of the season?
Meanwhile, Arizona is running 1st in the National League West with an 11-8 record.