Milwaukee Brewers: Have talks for Madison Bumgarner stalled?

The Milwaukee Brewers were rumored to be sniffing around San Francisco Giants starter Madison Bumgarner. However, it appears talks may have stalled.

The team at RtB has varied opinions on whether Madison Bumgarner is a fit for the Milwaukee Brewers or a stay-away. It certainly sounds like any fan who was counting on Bumgarner coming to Milwaukee will end up disappointed. Unless there’s a dramatic change in tone from the Giants, the Brewers won’t acquire Bumgarner this off season. But that doesn’t mean that engaging the Giants later on is off the table either.

Were there any other choice quotes from the interview?

Actually, there was one…

So, the Giants GM wouldn’t confirm or deny that there were talks with the Milwaukee Brewers. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Brewers called on Bumgarner, but talks didn’t really didn’t go anywhere. Either the Brewers balked at including Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, or Brandon Woodruff plus extras, or the Giants’ asking price was too high.

Should the Brewers try again over the summer?

A lot can change between now and then, but if Bumgarner is healthy and the Giants are out of it, Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns will make more than a few phone calls.

The Brewers are primed for another run at a playoff spot, but they still need to upgrade the top of their rotation. While Bumgarner isn’t an ideal option for the long term, he does make sense for the short term. Bumgarner has missed time in each of the past two seasons and he’s a free agent after next season. A deep playoff run in 2019 could help him get the nine-figure contract he’s sure to look for.

What happens to Bumgarner’s price at the deadline?

Again, that depends. If Bumgarner is playing well and has several teams after him, his price could actually go up. The Pittsburgh Pirates dealt Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and Shane Baz to the Tampa Bay Rays for 3 1/3 seasons of Chris Archer. They Giants won’t get nearly as much because they don’t have Bumgarner under control for multiple seasons, but they can still command a hefty price if he’s the top option available.

How much is a third of a season of Bumgarner worth? How much is it worth with multiple teams looking to secure his services? It’s impossible to tell six months out.

Based on the tone of the conversation, the Milwaukee Brewers probably aren’t going to deal for Bumgarner any time soon. They’re better off focusing their energy on Sonny Gray, or clearing payroll to add Dallas Keuchel. Bumgarner probably won’t be an option for another six months.