A few more wins for the Giants and we can put this whole "buy or sell" tap dance to bed, because, well, the July 31 MLB trade deadline will have come and gone.
Following their come-from-behind win over the Cubs on Monday, the Giants now are 16-3 in their last 19 games and are over .500 for the first time all season. With each win, the Giants inch closer to deciding not to sell off Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith and the like, instead choosing to try and give Bruce Bochy one final October run.
While it feels less likely every day that Bumgarner will get traded, that's not going to stop the other contenders from sending their scouts to Oracle Park on Tuesday to watch the ace left-hander, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday.
There are a horde of scouts from virtually every contender coming into town to see Madison Bumgarner and #SFGiants tonight. The Giants still plan to listen to all offers for Bumgarner before deciding whether to move him, closer Will Smith or other relievers instead, or no one.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 23, 2019
Decisions, decisions.
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The Giants' recent hot streak has turned them from surefire sellers into a team with dreams of one final fall in the spotlight with Bochy and their veteran core. Even if the Giants do elect to trade Bumgarner, he always could reject the trade and choose to ride out the season with the franchise he loves.
Farhan Zaidi will listen to all trade offers, and the Giants reportedly could do a "need-for-need" swap as the deadline nears. But for now, it feels like Bumgarner's final start in a Giants uniform won't come in the next week.
