Bumgarner vs Keuchel
Ace Luis Servino is out until at least the All-Star break in mid-July. Domingo German has been the only Yankee pitcher who has been great all season, leading the Majors in wins with 9. The rest of the starters Masahiro Tanaka, J.A Happ, CC Sabathia and James Paxton who have all been ok. With Madison Bumgarner, one of the top pitchers on the trade block, and Dallas Keuchel, who is still a free agent, who should New York target?
Last week, San Francisco’s ace released his no-trade clause teams. If you do not understand what a no-trade clause is, it is where a player who has at least 10 years of service time in the MLB and 5 consecutive years with one organization, they are allowed to block trades to certain teams. The eight teams Bumgarner listed are the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals.. note, all are contenders for the playoffs. That does not mean that he won’t play for those teams, but MadBum is using it to his advantage. Those teams can still try to trade for him, and Bumgarner knows that these teams want him, so it gives him leverage in negotiation about a contract extension. The Giants asking price for him is 4 top level prospects. It may be tough for the Yankees to make a deal because they are thin after some of their trades in last couple of years. Madison Bumgarner has won 3 World Series with San Fran, and has expressed his interest in staying with the team. The Giants are starting their rebuild process and with Bumgarner set to become a free agent this winter, the Giants would like to trade him so they can get some younger players. His numbers may not look great at 2–4 with an ERA at 4.04, but his strikeout to walk ratio is very good with 58 Strike Outs to only 8 base on balls. He is still only 29 years old, although Bumgarner has been plagued by injuries the last few years. He could really help this staff especially if they get to the postseason. In the World Series, the 2014 MVP has pitched 15 innings allowing only a single run which amounts to a 0.60 ERA and he also came in and closed game 7 of the 2014 World Series.
Free agent Dallas Keuchel, who was one of the top pitchers on the market last winter, is still available, but he won’t be for too much longer. The main reason that Keuchel is still in free agency is because if a team signs him before the MLB draft on June 3rd, that team will have to give the Astors a first round pick. Back in 2013, the Yankees did not re-sign Nick Swisher and the Cleveland Indians signed him and the Bombers got the Indians first round pick, and they drafted Aaron Judge. That has turned into a very good investment for the Yankees. After June 3rd, Keuchel will definitely find an organization. A definite possibility could be the Yankees, but do not be surprised if they agree on a multi year deal, as he declined the Astros qualifying offer of 17.9 million dollars and has said he won’t take a lesser deal than he believes he should get.
I think New York could sign him to a 3 to 4 year deal right for about $18 million dollars a year. On the mound, Keuchel has a career ERA of 3.66 in a 192 games pitched and a career record of 176 wins and 163 losses. Keuchel has also pitched in the AL for pretty much his entire career, his rookie year in 2012 was the Houston Astros final year in NL. He won the AL Cy Young award in 2015, pitched in the 2015 and 2017 All Star Games and won a World Series in 2017 with the Houston Astros.
Dallas Keuchel also has a lot of experience pitching in the postseason, with over 50 innings, and he’s 4–2.
It is more likely that the Yankees will sign Dallas Keuchel than trade for Madison Bumgarner because New York will not have to give up big prospects to get Keuchel, but do not rule Bumgarner out and the Yankees could go after other pitchers on the trade block as the July 31st deadline approaches.
