Madison Bumgarner Rumors: Cardinals Linked to SP Amid Free-Agency Buzz

Madison Bumgarner could be headed to St. Louis. 

An anonymous source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand that the Cardinals have emerged as a new potential suitor for the free-agent ace, joining the likes of the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins.

Bumgarner has been with the San Francisco Giants since making his MLB debut in 2009. The 30-year-old has won three World Series and won the 2014 World Series MVP in the Bay.

Most recently, Bumgarner started an MLB-leading 34 games. He went 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 207.2 innings. 

The four-time All-Star rejected the Giants' qualifying offer in mid-November to become a free agent.

The pitching market began to take shape Wednesday when Zack Wheeler reportedly agreed to a five-year, $118 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"I wouldn't even be surprised if (Bumgarner) gets more than Wheeler," an anonymous National League official told USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "It will be close. There's really not that big of a difference when you look at it closely."

Wheeler landed that deal despite missing all of 2015 and '16 and undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2016. The 29-year-old former New York Mets pitcher made 31 starts last season, one shy of his career-most 32 starts from 2014. Bumgarner has started at least 31 games in seven of his 11 seasons.

Whatever price Bumgarner ends up going for, an anonymous MLB executive predicted to Feinsand the pitcher will sign before the annual Winter Meetings begin next week.

In terms of how Bumgarner would fit in St. Louis, he would join a starting rotation already set to feature Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and veteran Adam Wainwright.