MLB Rumors: Mets Will Do Their Homework on Madison Bumgarner After D-Backs DFA'd LHP

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated Madison Bumgarner for assignment on Thursday, and the New York Mets are reportedly one of the teams who will kick the tires on the available starting pitcher.

Andy Martino of SNY reported: "According to league sources, the Mets will do their homework on Bumgarner—but honestly, it's hard to see that homework leading to the conclusion that the team should sign him."

There's little doubt that the Mets could use some help in the rotation.

Max Scherzer is potentially facing a 10-game suspension after being ejected for having too much sticky substance on his hand, Jose Quintana is recovering from rib surgery and is expected to be out until around July, Justin Verlander is recovering from a teres major strain and hasn't pitched yet this season and Carlos Carrasco has a bone spur in his elbow and will be reevaluated in three to five days.

Whether or not Bumgarner is the answer to those injury woes in the starting rotation is another question entirely.

The 33-year-old has been poor this season, going 0-3 with a 10.26 ERA, 2.40 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in 16.2 innings across four starts.

"I wish I had some kind of answers," Bumgarner told reporters after giving up seven runs in just three innings on Wednesday. "Not that I'm not going to look for them—I'm going to look for them. But right now, I don't have any for you guys. I wish I did. But I don't."

He has struggled in general since joining the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2020 season, going 15-32 with a 5.23 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 276 strikeouts in 363.1 innings across 69 starts.

It's a far cry from the pitcher he was with the San Francisco Giants in his prime. That version of Bumgarner was a four-time All-Star, three-time champion and a one-time World Series MVP.

But he's been bad enough that Arizona is eating $34 million of the remaining money left on his deal—$20.4 million for the remainder of the 2023 season, $14 million for the 2024 campaign—to part ways.

Once he clears waivers, as expected, he could sign a one-year, $720,000 with a new team.