Madison Bumgarner has a team-friendly contract that features two team options for 2018 and 2019, but that's not stopping the San Francisco Giants from getting an early start on extension talks with their ace.
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Giants Want to Talk Extension
Thursday, Oct. 13
Per Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants general manager Bobby Evans has already spoken to Bumgarner and told his agents the team is ready to discuss an extension when they are.
Bumgarner has been one of the best bargains in Major League Baseball since signing his original five-year, $35 million deal in April 2012.
That deal bought out Bumgarner's first three years of free agency if the Giants end up exercising both of their options.
Per Baseball-Reference.com, next year will be the first time in Bumgarner's career that he makes more than $10 million in a season.
Bumgarner is scheduled to make $11.5 million in 2017. For perspective, per Cot's Baseball Contracts, Kansas City Royals pitcher Ian Kennedy will make $13.5 million next season.
There aren't many pitchers in baseball who warrant an extension more than Bumgarner, who has been named to four consecutive National League All-Star teams.
After finishing in the top 10 in Cy Young voting in each of the previous three seasons, Bumgarner has a strong chance to make it four straight in 2016, setting career highs in starts (34), innings (226.2) and strikeouts (251).
The Giants could end up having to pay Bumgarner a record amount to lock him up. David Price signed the largest contract for a pitcher in history last year, when the Boston Red Sox gave him $217 million over seven years.
Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Zack Greinke of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals are the only other pitchers who have signed deals worth $200 million or more.
At just 27 years old, Bumgarner doesn't figure to slow down anytime soon. He's been one of the most consistently dominant pitchers in the big leagues since 2011 and is as valuable as any other player the Giants have.
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