The Milwaukee Brewers fell one win short of reaching the 2018 World Series, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in the National League Championship Series.
That stings, obviously, but the Brewers reportedly are thinking about trading for one of the best postseason performers in Major League Baseball history this offseason, giving Milwaukee even more reason for optimism as it looks to get over the hump in 2019.
MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reported Monday, citing sources, that the Brewers have had substantive communication with the San Francisco Giants this winter about a possible trade for left-hander Madison Bumgarner.
It’s unclear at this point how motivated the Giants are to trade Bumgarner before Opening Day, but according to Morosi, the Brewers are continuing their internal deliberations about how much they’re willing to give up for the four-time All-Star.
Bumgarner is slated to earn $12 million this season in the final year of his contract. The longtime Giants ace is coming off back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, including a 2018 campaign in which he went 6-7 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 21 starts spanning 129 2/3 innings, but there’s no denying his overall track record.
Bumgarner, who turns 30 in August, finished in the top six in NL Cy Young voting in four straight seasons from 2013 to 2016. He has saved his best work for the postseason, too, posting an 8-3 record and a 2.11 ERA in 16 career playoff appearances (14 starts) totaling 102 1/3 frames.
Bumgarner has won three World Series titles with the Giants. He earned World Series MVP honors in 2014 as San Francisco defeated the Kansas City Royals in seven games.
Morosi notes the Philadelphia Phillies also have interest in Bumgarner, though they’re more focused on pursuing top free agents, including Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.
