Madison Bumgarner Rumors: Giants Seeking Young SP from Brewers

If the Milwaukee Brewers expect to pry Madison Bumgarner from the San Francisco Giants, they'll have to part with young arms.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Tuesday that San Francisco is seeking a package centered around young pitching—featuring Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff or Freddy Peralta—from Milwaukee.

Morosi previously reported that the Brewers and Giants have had "substantive communication" regarding Bumgarner this winter and that Milwaukee is the left-hander's most likely landing spot should he be traded.

Bumgarner is owed $12 million in 2019 and can be a free agent after the season.

The 29-year-old is coming off another solid year, as he went 6-7 with a 3.26 ERA in 21 starts. He struck out 109 batters in 129.2 innings. A broken hand delayed the start of his season after a line drive struck him during spring training.

Even though he has made just 38 starts over the last two years because of injuries, Bumgarner is a four-time All-Star and a three-time World Series champ. He is 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 16 career postseason appearances (14 starts), earning both the 2014 NLCS and World Series MVP awards.

Considering Milwaukee relied heavily on its bullpen during its NLCS run a season ago, a workhorse starter could put the club over the top.

Meanwhile, Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta are among the most promising arms in the Brewers' system.

Burnes impressed in his first taste of the big leagues in 2018, going 7-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and .199 batting average against in 30 relief appearances. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out 35 batters in 38 innings and owned a 9.1-strikeouts-per-nine rate in the minors.

Woodruff debuted for Milwaukee in 2017. The 25-year-old right-hander is 5-3 with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 27 big league appearances, including 12 starts.

Peralta went 6-4 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 16 appearances (14 starts) for the Brewers last year. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out an impressive 96 batters in 78.1 innings in his first season in the majors.

With the Giants coming off a 73-89 effort, dealing Bumgarner could set the team up for future success. Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta all have little service time, so they could be a part of San Francisco's long-term plan—although it's not clear what it would take to get a deal done.