Besides how they will respond to a gut wrenching NLDS Game 4 loss to the Chicago Cubs, the overriding storyline for the Giants as spring training begins is Madison Bumgarner’s contract.
The No. 1 ace for the most decorated National League team this decade, Bumgarner still has three years left on an original five-year, $35 million deal. 10 different Giants players have a higher average salary than arguably baseball’s most feared postseason pitcher.
CSN Bay Area insider Alex Pavlovic joined Ray Woodson Monday night from Scottsdale, where the Giants have arrived to 70 degree weather. But even though his contract isn’t up until 2020, Bumgarner is on the minds of many.
“We asked the same thing the first day last year, you know, he wants a new deal and I think anybody would,” Pavlovic said. “He sees the money that’s out there for his caliber and the number starts with a 2 — it’s 200, 250 (million), whatever it’s going to be. It’s a huge deal that’s out there for him. So anybody would want that.
“But he always says the right thing. I think he will wait it out. He has faith in himself, he has faith in his health. And his ability to go out there year to year. I think the more important thing is the Giants are going to wait this out. Because that’s what you do when it’s a pitcher. Because even though it is Madison, any pitcher can break down. So they have him for three more years on team control and I would be shocked if something happened before this season. I mean, they’ve surprised me before with these things, but I would be really surprised if it gets done soon.”
To understand Bumgarner’s situation, Clayton Kershaw will earn $35 million in this season alone. The Dodgers ace signed a seven-year, $215 million deal with an opt out clause after 2018. Last offseason, the Giants inked Johnny Cueto to a six-year, $130 million deal and he also has an opt out clause after this season. Pavlovic thinks Bumgarner won’t get antsy about the money, but he also doesn’t think Bobby Evans and the front office are in any rush to come to the negotiating table.
“They do want to get under (the luxury tax) and re-set that. If they sign Madison to a new deal, it’s going to re-set his tax number, because it’s average annual value,” Pavlovich said. “So right now it’s somewhere around 12 or 13 million is his average for the next few years. But if you sign him to a huge deal it’s not only going to affect his yearly salary but it’s going to affect what you are paying in the tax.”
Here’s a refresher of the top Giants contracts via Spotrac.com:
Buster Posey (eight-year, $159 million deal expiring in 2023)
Johnny Cueto (six-year, $130 million deal expiring in 2022, with an opt out clause in 2018)
Matt Cain (five-year, $112.5 million deal expiring in 2018 with a $7.5 million buyout clause)
Hunter Pence (five-year, $90 million deal expiring in 2019)
Jeff Samardzija (five-year, $90 million deal expiring in 2021)
Brandon Crawford (six-year, $75 million deal expiring in 2022 with a full no-trade clause)
Brandon Belt (five-year, $72.8 million deal expiring in 2022)
Mark Melancon (four-year, $62 million deal expiring in 2021 with opt out clause in 2018 and full no trade clause)
Madison Bumgarner (five-year, $35 million expires in 2020)