A pair of aces are on the market for teams who are willing to pay a premium for pitching. Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner. San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner is a three-time World Series champion.
Trading for Scherzer will be difficult. The 34-year-old is making more than $37 million this season. He’s on the books for almost $36 million next year and more than $34 million in 2021. And Scherzer will be a 10-5 player after this season. That means after 2019, he will have played 10 seasons in the majors, the last five with the same team. And that gives him an automatic no-trade clause.
As for Bumgarner, the 29-year-old left-hander will be a free agent after the season. And he has a no-trade clause for eight teams, including the pitching-hungry Yankees. Which means the Yankees will have to open their wallet to convince Bumgarner he belongs in the Bronx.
Money notwithstanding, The San Francisco Chronicle explains why Bumgarner would be a good fit for the Yankees.
Yankees: Domingo German was the latest starter to be hurt. Luis Severino has been a no-show because of shoulder problems, and CC Sabathia and James Paxton have been slowed by knee ailments. The Yankees need help. They fell short in the Dallas Keuchel sweepstakes, and Bumgarner would be a nice fit on a team that has won 27 World Series but none since 2009. Imagine Bumgarner in pinstripes. Pretty imposing. Except they wouldn’t let him hit.
Bumgarner’s regular season stats in 2019 aren’t eye-popping this year. He’s 3-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 15 starts. But Bumgarner is one of the best postseason pitchers of all-time, going 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 16 playoff appearances, helping the Giants win World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
He earned World Series MVP honors in 2014, when he made three appearances against the Kansas City Royals, winning both of his starts and picking up the save in the Game 7 clincher.
Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.