Report: Padres set to meet with Madison Bumgarner’s agent at GM Meetings

The rumors are starting to pick up at the GM Meetings with a report that the San Diego Padres are set to meet with Madison Bumgarner’s agent.

A report from Jon Heyman says that the San Diego Padres have interest in Madison Bumgarner and Stephen Strasburg and will meet with Bumgarner’s agent at the GM Meetings.

This really comes as no surprise as I’m sure the Padres are checking in on every free agent pitcher in the first and second tiers.

The appeal for Bumgarner is obvious as he would add a wealth of experience to a very young Padres’ rotation.

The four-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion and World Series MVP could be a leader for Chris Paddack and the other young arms coming up for the Padres.

However, MadBum is not the pitcher that he once ways, but he still has some good years in him.

He’ll play the 2020 season at 30 years old, but he has a lot of mileage on his arm.

He’s closing in on 2,000 innings in 11 MLB seasons, including the 102.1 innings he’s thrown in the postseason.

In 2019 he posted a 3.90 ERA in 207.2 innings with 203 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.13.

That is still outstanding production that the Padres will gladly take at the top of their rotation.

It would be interesting to see if MadBum would sign with a team in the same division as the Giants. He seems like a loyal guy and one that isn’t interested in a big payday — meaning he probably takes a little less money to play in a place he feels comfortable.

That’s why many experts believe he’ll either re-sign with the San Francisco Giants or with the Atlanta Braves who are close to his hometown in North Carolina.

But if the Padres could persuade him to stay on the West Coast and be a mentor to a team on the rise, he could be a great fit for this rotation.