Madison Bumgarner

At 34 years old, Madison Bumgarner has this physical status:

Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), commonly known by his nickname, "MadBum", is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.

He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants.

Bumgarner has won three World Series championships (2010, 2012, 2014) and two Silver Slugger Awards (2014, 2015).

He has also been selected to four National League All-Star teams and has the most strikeouts in franchise history by a Giants left-handed pitcher.Bumgarner played high school baseball at South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina, where he helped his team win the 2007 4A State Championship.

After graduating, he was selected with the tenth overall pick in the 2007 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants.

He and Buster Posey both made their major league debuts in 2009, and have since established a reputation as one of the best batteries in recent MLB history.

Bumgarner pitched eight scoreless innings in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series, helping win the franchise's first World Series in San Francisco and the first since 1954.

Two years later, Bumgarner pitched seven more scoreless innings in Game 2 of the 2012 World Series.

Bumgarner became the ace of a Giants pitching staff that won three World Series championships in a five-year span. After setting the World Series record for the lowest earned run average, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2014 World Series, the 2014 Babe Ruth Award winner, the 2014 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, and the 2014 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

Early life

Bumgarner was born August 1, 1989, in Hickory, North Carolina, and grew up in an area ten miles away nicknamed "Bumtown" because of the abundance of people with the surname Bumgarner who have lived there over the years after their ancestors had arrived from Germany. He grew up in a log house built by his father, sleeping in a loft. At the age of four, he began playing youth baseball league, for which his father had to sign a waiver because the league was for five- to eight-year-olds. He would not let Madison throw curveballs until he was sixteen. His parents, Kevin and Debbie, divorced while Bumgarner was in high school.

Bumgarner attended South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina, where he was known as "Maddie" and played on both the school's baseball team and the Post 29's American Legion Baseball team. In his junior season, he had a 12–2 win–loss record, an 0.99 earned run average (ERA), and 120 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched as he led his team to a runner-up in the 2006 4A State Championship. The next season, he went 11–2 with a 1.05 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 86 innings while his team won the state championship. He hit .424 with 11 home runs and 38 runs batted in (RBIs). He was named most valuable player (MVP) of the playoffs and the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year, garnering the nickname "The Carolina Peach." Bumgarner attracted so much attention from scouts and agents in high school that his father built a wall around the bullpen at his high school field to keep them from distracting him as he warmed up. He committed to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a college baseball scholarship.

In 2013, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association included him on its "100 To Remember" male athletes list, which included Michael Jordan, Carl Eller, and Jim Beatty.

Personal life

Bumgarner's parents are Kevin and Debbie. Kevin works nights at a food distribution company, while Debbie is an accountant for PepsiCo. Bumgarner has a stepsister and two older half-brothers. Bumgarner had a half-sister, Dena, who died in 2010 after accidentally overdosing on pain medication following hospitalization from cancer. Bumgarner has been a Baptist since his childhood. Andrew Baggarly, a reporter who covers the Giants, wrote of Bumgarner, "While I wouldn't describe him as outgoing, he struck me as being smart, well spoken and polite. He is deeply Christian and seems to be very grounded."

Bumgarner married his high school sweetheart, Ali Saunders, on February 14, 2010, in a private ceremony in which he wore "a white open-collar shirt and blue jeans while carrying a pocketknife." During the offseason, they live on a farm in North Carolina that is about thirty minutes from where he grew up in the old furniture manufacturing area of the state, and during the season in a condo in San Francisco. Bumgarner plays catch with his wife Ali, who grew up playing softball.

Source

Professional career

With the tenth overall pick of the 2007 MLB draft, the San Francisco Giants selected Bumgarner in the first round. Baseball America had ranked him as the 14th-best prospect overall going into the draft. In 2002, Matt Cain became the first high school pitcher selected as the Giants' first pick since Matt Cain, and the first left-handed pitcher selected in the first round by the organization since Noah Lowry in 2001.

In 2008, Bumgarner pitched for the Augusta Greenjackets, the Giants' Low-A South Atlantic League affiliate. After Bumgarner's debut in Augusta over his first three starts, the Giants had him revert to the way he had been dismissed in high school. With Augusta, he concentrated on his changeup, slider, and his ability to throw more accurately on the inside of the plate, a key attribute for a pitcher with his side-armed delivery. He captured the Triple Crown in South Atlantic League, tying for the most victories (15, tied with Levi Maxwell), and led the way in strikeouts (164). He joined the San Jose Giants of the California League in 2009 as part of the Giants' High-A affiliate. He was called up to the Hartford Defenders of the Eastern League, his fifth start, in which he went 3–1 with a 1.48 ERA and 23 strikeouts. He scored a grand slam against Eric Niesen on July 22 and picked up the victory in a 9-3 victory over the Binghamton Mets. He went 9–1 with a 1.93 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 20 games (19 starts) with them.

In 2008, Baseball America named him as the third-best prospect in the Giants organization. The publication ranked Bumgarner as the ninth best prospect in baseball before the 2009 season. Bumgarner appeared in the Giants' spring training before the season, competing for the position of fifth starter. On the magazine's list, he was the fourteenth-best prospect in baseball, though some writers were worried about a decrease in Bumgarner's velocity. He was out of shape and was sent down to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies, partially due to his lack of traction as he began the new season. Fresno's 7-1 record and 59 strikeouts in 14 starts.

On September 8, 2009, the Giants promoted Bumgarner to the big leagues for his debut in a match against the San Diego Padres. Tim Lincecum, a ace who was ruffled with back spasms, was replaced by him. He was the second-oldest pitcher to start a game for the Giants, older than Mike McCormick, who played two games for the Giants in 1956, when the team was still in New York. With no outs in the third inning, Bumgarner knocked out Padres pitcher Kevin Correia for his first career strikeout. In 2009, Bumgarner made four appearances with the Giants, including a 1.80, striking out ten batters, and pitching ten innings.

Bumgarner was called back to the team on June 26, 2010, where he would face the Boston Red Sox the next day, where he had his first major league appearance. Joe Martinez, who had started in place of an injured Todd Wellemeyer in the starting rotation, was put on hold. Bumgarner made his first major league pinch-hitting appearance on Sunday. By going eight innings without giving up a single run, Bumgarner won his first major league victory of his career. He also batted in his first major league appearance in the game (RBI). When Wellemeyer returned from the disabled list in August, Bumgarner's manager Bruce Bochy preferred him in the bullpen and leave Bumgarner in the rotation.

Bumgarner's average ERA of 1.13 was offended in five September launches during the Giants' triumphant climb to the National League West Division championship. Bumgarner won his first game at home in September, taking him 7-6 on the season. He was named a starting pitcher on Baseball America's 2010 All-Rookie Team after the season.

In Game 4 of the 2010 National League Division Series (NLDS), Bumgarner made his postseason debut against the Atlanta Braves, and the Giants won the 2010 National League Championship Series (NLCS), making him the youngest pitcher in the Giants' franchise history to play, start, and win a playoff game. He was also the sixth-youngest pitcher to play in a playoff game. As the Giants advanced to the 2010 World Series in Game 6 of the NLCS, Bumgarner pitched two shutout relief innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. Bumgarner pitched eight shutout innings against the Texas Rangers in Game 4 of the World Series, allowing only three hits and allowing just one Ranger to reach second base in the midst of his first World Series victory. He was the fifth-youngest pitcher to start a World Series game. Spec Shea and Yogi Berra were the first rookie battery to start a World Series game since 1947, Bumgarner and Buster Posey. The Giants gained a 3–1 lead in the series, en route to the Giants winning their first World Series title since the 1954 World Series—and their first title in the San Francisco era's 52-year history.

Bumgarner's former coworker Juan Uribe struck out swinging in the first inning for his 100th career strikeout on April 11 at AT&T Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first seven starts of the 2011 season, Bumgarner was 0-5 with a 4.58 ERA. Despite pitching at least six innings and giving up more than one earned run in his five starts from April 27 to May 19, 2011, the pitcher didn't win until September 19th, his first victory of the season, with a ERA of 3.71. In a 3–1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 19, 2011, Bumgarner pitched with the worst pitch in the city's history, with it being a 35.3 ERA 2009 All-Star Dodger pitcher Chad Billingsley. On the outing, he had a career-best 89 strikes. Bumgarner had a 1.93 ERA over his last nine starts, but he had two victories and five losses to show for it. The Giants have only scored once or failed no times in seven of his eight losses at that point.

When winning the game against the Padres on September 5, Bumgarner struck out thirteen batters while giving two earned runs, seven hits, and one walk over 8+13 innings. It was his second straight double digit strikeout game against the Chicago Cubs, after knocking out eleven Cubs batters in his previous appearance against the Chicago Cubs. With his victory over September 16, Bumgarner made five starts in a row; he ended the season 13-13 with a 3.21 ERA, 204 innings pitched, and 191 strikeouts. In the games in which his colleagues scored three or more runs, Bumgarner was 12–1 for the games in which he was 12–1. In terms of nominations for the NL Cy Young Award, Bumgarner came in 11th.

Bumgarner and the Giants have agreed to a six-year contract extension worth $3.56 million through the 2017 season beginning on April 17, 2012. For 2018, and 2019, the deal includes additional $12 million options. With a 2.31 ERA, the Bumgarner started the season strong, going 5–1. In a 6–3 victory over the Houston Astros on June 12, Bumgarner scored his first major league home run and shut down 12 batters. In a 5–0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on June 28, Bumgarner pitched both his first career complete game and regular-season shutout. With this victory, it was the first time in franchise history with four straight shutouts and set a new San Francisco record of thirty-six consecutive scoreless innings. He ended the year with a 16-7 record and striking out 191 batters in 208+13 innings.

When the Giants lost 9–0, Bumgarner started Game 2 of the National NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing four runs in 4+13 innings. The Giants were down two games to none in a best-of-five series, but they beat the Reds in the next three. In Game 1 of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, Bumgarner lost by six runs in 3+2/3 innings pitched in a 6–4 loss. Despite the fact that the series reached its conclusion, he made no further appearances in it, but the Giants beat the Cardinals four games to three. In Game 2 of the World Series, the American League (AL) champion Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago Tigers 2–0, throwing out eight batters and yielding only two hits in a 2–0 win. In 1986, Bumgarner became the first pitcher to start his World Series career with fifteen scoreless innings after Bruce Hurst. Christy Mathewson, a Hall of Fame member of 1905, was the last Giant to have scoreless outings in his first two World Series appearances before Bumgarner. The Giants won their second title in three seasons.

In a 2–0 win, Bumgarner threw eight shutout innings against the Dodgers, as well as an RBI. Yonder Alonso was out swinging in the top of the fourth inning at AT&T Park, Bumgarner, on April 19 for his 500th career strikeout. He had a season-high 11 strikeouts against the Braves on May 11, resulting in the victory in a 10–1 victory. For the 2013 National League All-Star Game, Bumgarner was chosen to represent the National League for his first career All-Star selection. Despite being on the roster, he was not involved in the NL's 3–0 loss to the AL. He held the Cubs scoreless for eight innings on July 27, but the Cubs lost by a no-decision in a 1–0 loss. In a 4–1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on August 2, he tied for his season-high in strikeouts with 11 goals.

In 31 starts, Bumgarner set career highs for ERA (2.77), walks more runs per inning pitched (WHIP) (1.03) and strikeouts (199), finishing with a 13-19 record. He threw over two hundred innings for the third straight season (201+13) and improved at holding runners on base, conceding eight stolen bases in 2013 as opposed to 28 in 2012. In voting for the NL Cy Young Award, Bumgarner came in ninth place.

Bumgarner started for the Giants on Opening Day for the first time in his career. Bumgarner earned his first grand slam and recorded a career-high five RBIs on April 11, his first grand slam in his career. Since being 5–0 in six starts, with 48 strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA, Bumgarner was named NL Pitcher of the Month for May.

At the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Bumgarner made his second straight All-Star selection in the National League. However, Bumgarner was unable to pitch in the All-Star Game on July 15 because he pitched two days prior to the game. At&T Park, Bumgarner, and Posey all hit grand slams in the same game on July 13, the first-ever match in MLB history. In addition, Bumgarner set all-time MLB records for grand slams in a career and in a single season by a pitcher with two. Tony Cloninger was the last pitcher to reach two grand slams in a season, winning in one game on July 3, 1966.

Bumgarner pitched his second straight game one-hit shutout on August 26, which included pitching seven perfect innings to start the game. He set a franchise-record sixth game with ten or more strikeouts and no walks in the process. For August, Bumgarner was named the NL Pitcher of the Month. He was 4–1 with a 1.57 ERA, played three complete games, and had 56 strikeouts against only three walks. Bumgarner was the fifth left-handed pitcher in franchise history to strike out over two hundred batters on September 12. Ray Sadecki's 207th strike out of the season set a new San Francisco Giants single-season strikeout record for a left-handed pitcher.

With 18 wins, a 2.98 ERA, and 219 strikeouts for the 2014 MLB regular season, Bumgarner set a new high in victories, a new record, and 219 strikeouts. In the NL Cy Young Award's third round voting, Bumgarner came in fourth, behind Clayton Kershaw, Johnny Cueto, and Adam Wainwright.

For the third time in Bumgarner's career, the Giants made it to the postseason, this time as a wild card team. In the NL Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bumgarner pitched a four-hit shutout in his first postseason shutout, allowing the Giants to advance to the NLDS against the Washington Nationals. Sandy Koufax of the 1965 World Series and Justin Verlander from the 2012 ALDS are the only pitchers to pitch a shutout and strike out ten or more batters in a winner-take-all game. He was used in Game 3 of the NLDS and gave up three runs (two earned) in seven innings but lost by 4–1 defeat. As the Giants defeated the Nationals in Game 4 to advance to the NLCS against the Cardinals, it was the only one in the series. In Game 1 of the NLCS, Bumgarner threw 7+2/3 shutout innings, setting a new league playoff record of 26+220 runs on the road, breaking the nineties-old record held by fellow Giant Art Nehf. He restricted the Cardinals to three runs in eight innings in Game 5, but then tied the game. Travis Ishikawa won the game 6–3 and clinch the Giants' five-game victory over the Cardinals in the ninth, but Travis Ishikawa hit a walk-off home run in the ninth to win the game 6–3. Bumgarner was named the NLCS MVP.

The Giants met the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 World Series. Bumgarner started Game 1 by allowing one run in seven innings, snaping his streak of scoreless innings on the road. In the Giants' 7–1 victory, he earned the victory. In Game 5, Bumgarner pitched his second consecutive game shutout and a four-hit shutout, making him the second pitcher in franchise history with two shutouts in a single postseason following Mathewson's three shutouts in the 1905 World Series and the first San Francisco Giants pitcher to throw a complete shutout in a World Series game since Jack Sanford in the 1962 World Series. He set the all-time MLB record for lowest World Series ERA (0.29) among pitchers over twenty-five innings pitched and three starts, and was the first pitcher in World Series history to pitch a shutout with at least eight strikeouts and no walks. Bumgarner pitched five scoreless innings in relief against the Kansas City Royals on two days rest on October 29, preserving a one-run lead and earning the trophy as the Giants claimed their third title in five seasons.

Bumgarner was named the 2014 World Series MVP, completing the series with a 2–0 record and a 0.43 ERA. In three appearances in pitching, Bumgarner gave up one run in 21 World Series innings and pitched 52+2/3 total innings in the postseason. Following the postseason, he received the Babe Ruth Award as the postseason MVP and was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

On Opening Day in 2015 (April 6, Bumgarner started for the Giants again, holding the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run and winning in an eventual 5–4 victory. In a 2–0 victory over the Padres on May 4, 2015, he pitched 7+1 fewer innings and struck out six batters. He had a no-hitter in the seventh inning but Justin Upton spoiled it with a leadoff single. Bumgarner became the first pitcher to win a home run off of Kershaw on May 21, and he was the second Cy Young Award winner to lose a home run to Bumgarner, partnering Zack Greinke. Bumgarner pitched 7+1 3 innings against the Padres later this year. This time, he threw out a career-high fourteen batters, tying Atlee Hammaker's franchise record for most strikeouts in a left-handed pitcher's game. Bumgarner had two hits, one a solo home run, and two others scored twice, plus Brandon Barnes to strike out swinging in the second inning for his 1,000th career strikeout. He was the third left-handed pitcher in the San Francisco period and the third-youngest in franchise history to reach the milestone. Amos Rusie (21) and Mathewson (25) were younger than Amos Rusie (21) and Mathewson (25). Bumgarner was a member of the Dutch All-Star team for the third year in a row. He's got to pitch in the game this time, throwing a scoreless fourth inning with batterymate Posey catching him.

On August 11, Bumgarner pitched a complete game in a 3–1 victory over the Astros. With Juan Marichal and Jonathan Sánchez, he shut out 12 Houston batters, including a career-high seven straight batters, tying a San Francisco record. In the meantime, he avoided walking any Astros. He tied his career high by hitting 14 batterouts, three against Bryce Harper, who would go on to win the NL MVP award that year. As the Giants defeated the Nationals 5–0, Bumgarner scored his tenth home run and pitched a complete game shutout. In a complete game shutout, he is one of two pitchers in the modern era, alongside Hall of Famer Early Wynn to hit a home run and strike out 14 batters. He was the first Giants left-handed pitcher to play multiple fourteen-strike out games in a single season and career, and joined Marichal as the only Giants pitchers to strike out ten or more batters, hit a home run, and score a shutout in the same game. Bumgarner received the National League Player of the Week Award for his exploits during the week of August 9–15. In a 2–0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on August 18, Bumgarner logged his first career pinch-hit, a two-out single to left field in the top of the seventh inning off Lance Lynn. In a pitch-hitting appearance since Kirk Rueter in 2004, he became the first Giants pitcher to record a hit. In a 6–4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 21, Bumgarner scored his fifth home run, the first since Carlos Zane in 2006. Bumgarner struck out twelve batters out of six innings, the third out of four games in which he appeared with ten or more strikeouts.

Bumgarner made history by winning five home runs and knocking out two hundred batters in a single season on September 1, 2001. In an 8–0 win over the Padres on September 12, Bumgarner pitched his third straight game one-hit shutout, with a career-high 7+2nd innings to start the game.

With eighteen, the ten-nine wins leader, set a new high in victories, 218+1, and 234 strikeouts were posted in the 2015 MLB regular season, setting career highs with a.667 win percentage, 218+1, and 234 strikeouts. He was named the winner of the National League Silver Slugger Award at pitcher in 2015. In nomination for the NL Cy Young Award, Bumgarner came in sixth place.

Bumgarner started the Giants' Opening Day in 2016, losing five innings and allowing three runs but winning by 12–3 over the Milwaukee Brewers for the third year in a row. In his next game (April 9), Bumgarner hit another home run off of Kershaw, but the Giants lost the game by a score of 3–2. Bumgarner posted two earned runs or fewer in 12 consecutive starts from April 20 to June 20, tying Fred Anderson for the third-longest streak in Giants history since 1913. On June 30 at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum, the Giants used him instead of a designated hitter in recognition of his hitting ability. That was the first time a pitcher batted for himself at the start of a game at an AL stadium since 1976, and only the fifth since the establishment of the designated hitter rule in 1973. With a double, he went 1-for-4.

Bumgarner was an All-Star for the fourth year in a row, but he did not pitch in the game because he had to start two days before. He kept the Diamondbacks to a single hit in a 4–0 shutout on July 10 and striking out 14. It was Bumgarner's fourth one-hit game in his career, the most by a Giants pitcher after Mathewson threw six. Jake Lamb was out in the seventh and losing with one out. After Cain had thrown five no-hit innings during Cain's 100th victory on July 31, Bumgarner pinch-hit for Cain. Bumgarner's first Giants pitcher to post a pinch-hit double since Ray Sadecki did so in 1967. When the Giants defeated the Nationals 3-1, teammate Jeff Samardzija (also a fellow starter) pinch-ran for Bumgarner and scored a run.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bumgarner became the second pitcher since 1900 after Hal Jeffcoat of the 1957 Cincinnati Redlegs allowed a grand slam and then hit a go-ahead home run in the same inning on August 18, in a 10–7 victory over the New York Mets. In the top of the fourth inning, Bumgarner forfeited a grand slam to future teammates Justin Ruggiano and then went on to score a two-run home run off of Jacob deGrom. Bumgarner struck out Rob Segedin for his 200th strike out of the season on August 23, becoming the first left-handed pitcher in Giants franchise history to do so for three seasons in a row, second behind Rusie's Marichal's and Lincecum's four.

On September 3, Bumgarner met defending NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta. In a 3–2 victory over the eventual World Series Champion Chicago Cubs, he defeated Mathewson's 20 batters and walked nowhere, defeating Lincecum's thirty-six for second place in Giants franchise history. On September 20, Bumgarner played another 10-strike out game against the Dodgers, with no walks. Cy Seymour's Giants' single season ruled out strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher in a single season had been broken since 1898. On September 30, Bumgarner won his first match against the Dodgers, his twentieth Giant to reach the title. On the 2016 season, he became the third Giant of the year to win his one hundredth game of the season, playing Cueto and Cain. Bumgarner had a 15-19 record, a 2.74 ERA, and 251 strikeouts in 226+293 innings in 34 starts (which led to the league). His 251 strikeouts ranked third in the league behind Scherzer's 284 and José Fernández' 253; his 2.74 ERA was fourth, behind Kyle Hendricks' 2.39, Jon Lester's 2.60, and Noah Syndergaard's 2.60. Bumgarner received the NL Cy Young Award for the fourth time (behind Max Scherzer, Lester, and Hendricks); he came in sixteenth in NL MVP voting and came in second place behind Scherzer among pitchers.

In the first half of the season, the Giants had their best record in the first half, but they were still baseball's fourth-best team in the second half. However, they earned a spot in the NL Wild Card Game, which Bumgarner announced on October 5. The Giants defeated the defending National League champion New York Mets 3–0 in their third straight game four-hit shutout. Bumgarner met Arrieta again in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Cubs. In five innings, he gave up three runs in five innings and was left trailing 3–2, but the Giants were able to win 6–5 in 13 innings. It was the Giants' first victory in the series.

Bumgarner's fourth consecutive Opening Day appearance on April 2, 2017, he gave up three runs in seven innings and two home runs, one against Greinke. On Opening Day, he became the fourth Giants pitcher and the first in the San Francisco Bay Area to reach a home run. (April 19, 1956), Mickey Welch (May 1, 1884). He was the Giants' second home run, beating Hal Schumacher for his second home runs by a pitcher. Carlos González and Joey Votto as the third player to hit multiple home runs off both Kershaw and Greinke. However, the Giants lost 6–5 to the Diamondbacks. After suffering injuries to his throwing shoulder and ribs in a dirt bike crash, his season was abruptly ended by his first stint on the disabled list, beginning April 21. He had been out for nearly three months due to the injury, and he returned against the Padres on July 20. In a 5–3 loss, Bumgarner was declared nullified by a no-decision. His first victory of the year came against the Pirates five days later. Bumgarner lost his next four games before winning his last game of the year and ending with a 4–9 record. In 111 innings pitched, Bumgarner had a 3.32 ERA and 101 strikeouts. The Giants used Bumgarner's 2018 contract option worth $12 million after the season.

Because of an injury in 2017, Bumgarner missed a significant portion of the first half. This time, it was a bruised finger that was in spring preparation. The injury necessitated surgery and prevented him from pitching for the Giants until June 5. In his fourth start of the year, he won by 3–0 over the Padres on June 21. Bumgarner's fourth-fastest left-handed pitcher since 1920 won by 1–0 walk-off victory over the Rockies on Saturday, knocking out leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu for his 1,500th career strikeout. It was Randy Johnson (206), Kershaw (218), and David Price (236), the only ones since 1920 to get 1,500 strikeouts quicker. He batted 22 straight scores from June 16 to July 2, the highest scoreless innings on record. In a 13–8 victory over the Cardinals on July 8, Bumgarner won his 106th game in his career, beating Rueter for the most major titles won by a left-handed pitcher in the San Francisco era.

In a 3–1 victory over the Mets on August 23, Bumgarner won his 109th game in his career, defeating Lincecum for sole possession of third place in the San Francisco Era and the most wins by a pitcher under Bruce Bochy's managerial tenure. On September 25, he hit Rowan Wick from third base in the bottom of the twelfth inning, giving the Giants a 5–4 victory over the Padres. It was Bumgarner's first walk-off pitch in his career, and the first by a Giants pitcher in twenty-eight years. In 1990, Don Robinson was the first Giants pitcher to do so. In 21 starts, Bumgarner had a 6–7 record, a 3.26 ERA, and 109 strikeouts in 129+2nd3 innings pitched. The Giants exercised Bumgarner's 2019 contract option worth $12 million on October 29.

With his fifth appearance on Opening Day, Bumgarner joined Marichal as the only pitchers to make at least five Opening Day starts for the San Francisco era Giants. Carl Hubbell was the first left-handed pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,600 strikeouts, but the Giants lost 2–0 to the Padres. In a game against the Brewers on June 15, he passed Hubbell's strikeout total. Despite giving up five runs (three earned), the Giants beat the Bumgarners 8–7, with Bumgarner getting a no-decision. In a 4–2 win, he held the Rockies to two runs in six innings on June 25 and drove in the Giants' third run with an RBI single. In an 8–4 victory over the Cardinals on July 6, Bumgarner was dismissed after two innings due to being struck by a batted ball in the first innings. Despite this, he had two strikeouts in the game, beating Lincecum's 1,704 to leap into fourth place all-time by a Giant.

According to STATS LLC, Bumgarner became the first starting pitcher to have a hit and walk two or more walks at the plate on August 8, while still allowing one hit or fewer on the mound since 1920. He was also the first pitcher to do this feat while having more strikeouts pitching rather than batting. In a 3–2 win over the Oakland Athletics on August 13, he got off to a winning streak in franchise history behind Hubbell (433). Bumgarner had a 9–9 record, a 3.90 ERA, and 203 strikeouts in 207+2–3 innings pitched in 34 starts (which led to the NL). For the first time in his career, he became a free agent.

Bumgarner signed a five-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks worth $85 million on December 17, 2019.

Bumgarner made his Diamondbacks debut as a starting pitcher on July 24, 2020. On August 10, 2020, he was put on the disabled list. He was 85-87 MPH against the Padres in his last outing. He was 0–3 with 7 home runs allowed in his first four starts for Arizona. Overall, Bumgarner had a rough start in his first season with Arizona, which was cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 41+2/3 innings, he went 1–4 with a 6.48 ERA in 41+2/3 innings.

In the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on April 25, 2021, Bumgarner pitched seven no-hit innings. Since the game was only seven innings long, Bumgarner was not credited with a no-hitter. For the week of April 19–25, Bumgarner received the National League Player of the Week Award. He was 7-10 with a 4.67 ERA, tossing out 124 batters in 146+13 innings pitched.

He was a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award, which was won by Max Fried.

Luke Voit struck out swinging in the bottom of his fourth inning at Petco Park, Bumgarner's 2,000 career strikeout. He was the eighth fastest left-handed pitcher in Major League history, and the 86th pitcher to reach the record. He was 7-15 with a 4.88 ERA and gave up a major-league-leading 50 doubles in 158.2 innings for the season.

Career highlights

Bumgarner has earned 19 home runs as a pitcher, the most by any active pitcher, and the most struck by a pitcher since the AL implemented the designated hitter rule in 1973.

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