Madison Bumgarner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Madison Bumgarner |
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Bumgarner with the Giants in 2013
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: August 1, 1989 Hickory, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 8, 2009, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 19, 2023, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 134–124 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.47 | ||
| Strikeouts | 2,070 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Madison Kyle Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989), known as "MadBum", is a former professional baseball pitcher from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants (2009–2019) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2020–2023). Bumgarner is famous for winning three World Series championships with the Giants (in 2010, 2012, and 2014). He also won two Silver Slugger Awards in 2014 and 2015, which is special for a pitcher. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times. He holds the record for the most strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher in Giants history.
Bumgarner played high school baseball at South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina. He helped his team win the 2007 4A State Championship. After high school, the San Francisco Giants picked him tenth overall in the 2007 MLB draft. He and Buster Posey both started playing in the Major Leagues in 2009. They became known as one of the best pitcher-catcher duos in baseball.
In Game 4 of the 2010 World Series, Bumgarner pitched eight innings without allowing any runs. This helped the Giants win their first World Series in San Francisco. Two years later, he pitched seven more scoreless innings in Game 2 of the 2012 World Series. In 2014, Bumgarner started the Wild Card game for the Giants. He pitched a shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He set a World Series record in 2014 with a very low earned run average (ERA) of 0.25. He also won the Most Valuable Player award as the Giants won their third World Series with him.
Bumgarner won 18 games in both 2014 and 2015, which was his career high. In 2016, he had 15 wins and a career-high 251 strikeouts. He started his second Wild Card game against the New York Mets and pitched another shutout. Injuries affected his next two seasons. He had a dirt bike accident in 2017 and a broken finger in 2018. In 2019, Bumgarner led the National League in games started. After that year, he became a free agent and signed a five-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was released by the Diamondbacks in 2023.
Contents
- Growing Up and High School Baseball
- Starting His Professional Journey
- Playing for the San Francisco Giants (2009–2019)
- 2009: Making His MLB Debut
- 2010: World Series Champion
- 2011: Continuing to Improve
- 2012: Another World Series Title
- 2013: First All-Star Selection
- 2014: World Series MVP Season
- 2015: Another Silver Slugger
- 2016: More Strikeouts and Wild Card Shutout
- 2017: Injury Setback
- 2018: Another Injury and Return
- 2019: Final Season with Giants
- Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2020–2023)
- Career Highlights and Records
- Life Outside of Baseball
- Images for kids
Growing Up and High School Baseball
Madison Kyle Bumgarner was born on August 1, 1989, in Hickory, North Carolina. He grew up in an area known as "Bumtown" because many people with the last name Bumgarner lived there. His father built their log house, and Madison slept in a loft. He started playing youth baseball at age four, even though the league was for older kids. His parents, Kevin and Debbie, divorced when he was in high school.
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Bumgarner went to South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina. He played on the school's baseball team. In his junior year, he won 12 games and had a low 0.99 earned run average (ERA). He also had 120 strikeouts. His team finished second in the 2006 4A State Championship. The next year, as a senior, he won 11 games with a 1.05 ERA and 143 strikeouts. He helped his team win the 2007 4A State Championship. He also hit well, with a .424 batting average, 11 home runs, and 38 runs batted in (RBIs). He was named the MVP of the playoffs and the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year. Scouts and agents watched him closely in high school. His father even built a wall around the bullpen to keep them from distracting him. He planned to play college baseball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 2013, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association put Bumgarner on its "100 To Remember" list of male athletes. This list included famous athletes like Michael Jordan.
Starting His Professional Journey
Drafted by the Giants
The San Francisco Giants chose Bumgarner in the first round of the 2007 MLB draft. He was the tenth player picked overall. Baseball America magazine had ranked him as the 14th best player before the draft. He was the first high school pitcher the Giants picked in the first round since Matt Cain in 2002.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
In 2008, Baseball America said Bumgarner was the third-best young player in the Giants organization. He played for the Augusta Greenjackets, a Giants minor league team. He worked on his changeup and slider pitches. He won the league's pitching "Triple Crown" by leading in wins (15), ERA (1.46), and strikeouts (164).
Before the 2009 season, Bumgarner was ranked the ninth-best young player in all of baseball. He started 2009 with the San Jose Giants, another Giants minor league team. After five good starts, he moved up to the Connecticut Defenders, a Double-A team. He had 9 wins and a 1.93 ERA with them.
In 2010, Bumgarner went to the Giants' spring training. He was trying to earn a spot as a starting pitcher. He struggled at first and was sent to the Fresno Grizzlies, a Triple-A team. He had 7 wins and a 3.16 ERA with Fresno.
Playing for the San Francisco Giants (2009–2019)
2009: Making His MLB Debut
On September 8, 2009, the Giants called Bumgarner up to the major leagues. He made his first start against the San Diego Padres. He was only 20 years old, making him one of the youngest pitchers to start a game for the Giants. In his first game, he got his first career strikeout. He played four games with the Giants in 2009, with a 1.80 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
2010: World Series Champion
On June 26, 2010, Bumgarner joined the Giants again. The next day, he got his first Major League hit. On July 6, he earned his first Major League win against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched eight innings without giving up a run. He also got his first career run batted in (RBI) in that game.
Bumgarner pitched so well that he stayed in the starting lineup. In September, he had a great 1.13 ERA. He finished his rookie season with 7 wins, 6 losses, a 3.00 ERA, and 86 strikeouts. After the season, he was named to Baseball America's 2010 All-Rookie Team.
The Giants made it to the playoffs. In the 2010 National League Division Series (NLDS), Bumgarner started Game 4 against the Atlanta Braves. He pitched six innings and helped the Giants win, moving them to the next round. He was the youngest pitcher in Giants history to start and win a playoff game. In the 2010 National League Championship Series (NLCS), he pitched two scoreless innings in relief. The Giants won and went to the World Series.
In Game 4 of the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers, Bumgarner made his World Series debut. He was the fifth-youngest pitcher to start a World Series game. He pitched eight shutout innings, allowing only three hits and striking out six batters. He became the first National League rookie pitcher to pitch five scoreless innings in a World Series game since 1982. He was named the Ram Power Player of the Game. This win gave the Giants a 3–1 lead in the series. The Giants went on to win their first World Series in 56 years.
2011: Continuing to Improve
In April 2011, Bumgarner got his 100th career strikeout. He had a tough start to the season, but by May, he began pitching much better. On May 19, he almost pitched his first career shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
By June, he had a 1.93 ERA over nine starts. On September 5, he struck out 13 batters. He finished the season with 13 wins, 13 losses, a 3.21 ERA, and 191 strikeouts. He finished eleventh in the voting for the NL Cy Young Award.
2012: Another World Series Title
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In April 2012, Bumgarner signed a six-year contract extension with the Giants. He started the season well, with 5 wins and a 2.31 ERA. On June 12, he hit his first career Major League home run against the Houston Astros. He also struck out 12 batters in that game. The next day, his teammate Matt Cain pitched a perfect game. On June 28, Bumgarner pitched his first career regular-season complete game and shutout. He allowed only one hit in that game.
Bumgarner finished the year with 16 wins, 7 losses, a 3.37 ERA, and 191 strikeouts.
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In Game 2 of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers, Bumgarner pitched seven scoreless innings. He struck out eight batters and allowed only two hits. He became the first pitcher since 1986 to start his World Series career with 15 scoreless innings. The Giants swept the series, winning their second World Series in three seasons.
2013: First All-Star Selection
Bumgarner started the 2013 season as the Giants' second best pitcher. On April 2, he pitched eight shutout innings and got an RBI. On April 19, he got his 500th career strikeout.
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On May 11, he had a season-high 11 strikeouts. Bumgarner was chosen for his first All-Star team in 2013. He finished the season with a 13–9 record, a 2.77 ERA, and 199 strikeouts. He pitched over 200 innings for the third year in a row.
2014: World Series MVP Season
On March 31, 2014, Bumgarner made his first Opening Day start. On April 11, he hit his first career MLB grand slam and had a career-high five RBIs. He became known as "Snot Rocket" because he blew his nose after hitting the grand slam.
Bumgarner was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for May. He won all five of his starts, had 48 strikeouts, and a 2.08 ERA. He was selected for his second straight All-Star team. On July 13, Bumgarner and Buster Posey both hit grand slams in the same game. This was the first time in MLB history that a pitcher and catcher on the same team both hit grand slams in one game. Bumgarner also tied the MLB record for most career grand slams by a pitcher with two.
On August 26, Bumgarner pitched his second career one-hit shutout. He was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August again. On September 12, he became the fifth left-handed pitcher in Giants history to have over 200 strikeouts in a season. He set a new Giants record for most strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher in a single season. He won the 2014 Willie Mac Award.
Bumgarner had a career-high 18 wins, a 2.98 ERA, and 219 strikeouts in 2014. The Giants made it to the playoffs as a wild card team. On October 1, he pitched a four-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in the NL Wild Card Game. This allowed the Giants to move on. He joined Sandy Koufax and Justin Verlander as the only pitchers to pitch a shutout with 10 or more strikeouts in a winner-take-all game.
In the NLCS, Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings in Game 1. He set a major league record for consecutive scoreless innings on the road in the postseason. The Giants won the series, and Bumgarner was named the NLCS MVP.
In the 2014 World Series, the Giants played the Kansas City Royals. In Game 1, Bumgarner allowed only one run in seven innings. In Game 5, he pitched his second complete-game shutout of the postseason. He set an MLB record for the lowest career World Series ERA (0.29) for pitchers with at least 25 innings pitched. He was also the first pitcher in World Series history to pitch a shutout with at least eight strikeouts and no walks.
The Giants lost Game 6, forcing a Game 7. Bumgarner came in to pitch in relief in Game 7 on only two days' rest. He pitched five scoreless innings, earning his first career save. This was the longest save in World Series history. The Giants won their third World Series in five seasons.
Bumgarner was named the World Series MVP. He finished the series with 2 wins, a 0.43 ERA, and 17 strikeouts in 21 innings. For the entire 2014 postseason, he had 4 wins, a 1.03 ERA, two complete-game shutouts, a save, and a record 45 strikeouts. He also pitched a Major League record 52 2/3 innings in a single postseason.
In December, Bumgarner was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.
2015: Another Silver Slugger
On April 6, 2015, Bumgarner started on Opening Day again. On May 21, he became the first pitcher to hit a home run off of Clayton Kershaw. On June 23, he struck out a career-high 14 batters. Five days later, he hit his 1,000th career strikeout. He was the third-youngest pitcher in Giants history to reach this milestone.
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For the third year in a row, Bumgarner was an All-Star. He pitched a scoreless inning in the game. On August 11, he struck out 12 batters and walked none in a complete game. He struck out seven batters in a row, tying a San Francisco record. On August 16, he tied his career-high with 14 strikeouts and hit his tenth career home run. He also pitched a complete-game shutout. He became one of only two pitchers in modern baseball history to hit a home run and strike out 14 batters in a complete-game shutout.
On September 1, Bumgarner became the first left-handed pitcher in the modern era to hit five home runs and strike out 200 batters in a single season. On September 12, he pitched his third career one-hit shutout. He finished the season with 18 wins, 9 losses, a 2.93 ERA, and a career-high 234 strikeouts. He won his second Silver Slugger Award as a pitcher.
2016: More Strikeouts and Wild Card Shutout
Bumgarner made his third straight Opening Day start in 2016. He hit another home run off of Clayton Kershaw. On June 2, he became the last Giants pitcher to start and win a game at Turner Field. He also hit a two-run home run in that game. On June 30, the Giants used him as a hitter instead of a designated hitter in an American League stadium. This was very rare for a pitcher.
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For the fourth year in a row, Bumgarner was an All-Star. On July 10, he pitched a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts. This was his fourth career one-hit game. On August 18, he allowed a grand slam but then hit a go-ahead home run in the same inning. This was a very unusual event. On August 23, he got his 200th strikeout of the season. He became the first left-handed pitcher in Giants history to have 200 strikeouts for three straight seasons.
On September 3, Bumgarner had his 30th career game with 10 or more strikeouts. On September 20, he broke the Giants' record for most strikeouts in a single season by a left-handed pitcher. On September 30, he earned his 100th career win.
Bumgarner led the National League with 34 starts. He had 15 wins, 9 losses, a 2.74 ERA, and 251 strikeouts. The Giants made it to the NL Wild Card Game. Bumgarner started the game and pitched his third career postseason complete-game shutout. He gave the Giants a 3–0 win over the New York Mets. This made him the only player in postseason history with two complete-game shutouts in winner-take-all games.
2017: Injury Setback
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On April 2, 2017, Bumgarner made his fourth straight Opening Day start. He struck out 11 batters and hit two home runs in the game. He became the first pitcher to hit two home runs on Opening Day. However, the Giants lost the game. On April 20, Bumgarner had a dirt bike accident and injured his throwing shoulder and ribs. This was the first time in his career he was placed on the disabled list. He returned to pitching on July 15. He finished the season with 4 wins, 9 losses, a 3.32 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 17 starts.
2018: Another Injury and Return
On March 23, 2018, Bumgarner broke a finger on his pitching hand during a spring training game. He needed surgery for the injury. He was placed on the disabled list again. He returned to pitching on June 5. On June 27, he got his 1,500th career strikeout. He became one of the fastest left-handed pitchers since 1920 to reach this milestone.
On July 8, Bumgarner got his 106th career win, becoming the left-handed pitcher with the most wins in the San Francisco Giants era. On September 25, he got his first career walk-off hit and RBI. This was the first time a Giants pitcher had done that in 28 years. He finished the season with 6 wins, 7 losses, a 3.26 ERA, and 109 strikeouts in 21 starts.
2019: Final Season with Giants
Before the 2019 season, there was talk about Bumgarner's future with the Giants because his contract was ending. On March 28, 2019, he made his fifth career Opening Day start, joining Juan Marichal as the only Giants pitchers to do so. He also reached 1,600 strikeouts, joining Carl Hubbell as the only left-handed pitchers in Giants history to do so.
On July 31, despite many rumors, Bumgarner was not traded to another team. On August 8, he became the first starting pitcher since 1920 to have a hit and two or more walks while allowing one hit or fewer on the mound. On August 13, he made his 278th career start, the most by a left-handed pitcher in the San Francisco era. He also tied Matt Cain for the most home wins by a pitcher at Oracle Park.
On September 24, Bumgarner hit his 19th career home run. This was the third and final time he and Buster Posey both hit home runs in the same game. He finished his last season with the Giants with 9 wins, 9 losses, a 3.90 ERA, and 203 strikeouts in 34 starts. After the season, he became a free agent.
Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2020–2023)
On December 15, 2019, Bumgarner signed a five-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He said he liked the team's direction and that winning was important to him.
2020: Shortened Season
On July 24, 2020, Bumgarner made his debut as the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks. The season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was placed on the disabled list in August. On September 5, he pitched against his former team, the San Francisco Giants, for the first time. On September 27, he got his first win as a Diamondback. He finished the season with 1 win, 4 losses, and a 6.48 ERA.
2021: No-Hit Performance
On April 25, 2021, Bumgarner pitched seven no-hit innings in a shortened doubleheader game. Because the game was only seven innings long, he was not officially credited with a no-hitter. He won the National League Player of the Week Award for his performance. On August 3, he defeated his former team, the San Francisco Giants, for the first time. He finished the season with 7 wins, 10 losses, and a 4.67 ERA.
2022: 2,000 Strikeouts
On May 4, 2022, Bumgarner was ejected from a game after the first inning during a routine check for sticky substances. The umpire later apologized. On June 22, Bumgarner got his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the 86th pitcher in Major League history to reach this milestone. On August 15, he pitched his last game against his former team, the Giants. He received a standing ovation from the fans as he left the field. For the season, Bumgarner had 7 wins, 15 losses, and a 4.88 ERA.
2023: End of His Career
Major League Baseball added a pitch clock in the 2023 season. Bumgarner said he liked this new rule. On April 20, the Diamondbacks decided to release Bumgarner. He had made four starts with 0 wins and 3 losses, and a 10.26 ERA. He was officially released on April 26.
Later in 2023, the Texas Rangers, managed by his former manager Bruce Bochy, won the World Series. The Diamondbacks also made it to the World Series but lost to the Rangers.
Career Highlights and Records
Bumgarner finished his career with the fourth-most strikeouts in Giants history, with 1,794.
Pitching Style
- Madison Bumgarner pitching motion
Bumgarner is left-handed when he throws a baseball, but he does other things right-handed. He has a unique pitching style. He throws a four-seam fastball, a cutter, and a curveball. He also sometimes throws a slower curveball and a change-up.
Legacy in Baseball
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Madison Bumgarner is considered one of the greatest World Series pitchers ever. In his World Series career, he had 4 wins and 0 losses, with a World Series record 0.25 ERA. He also had a complete-game shutout and a save. He is also seen as one of the best postseason pitchers of all time. In his postseason career, he had 8 wins, 3 losses, a 2.11 ERA, three complete-game shutouts, and a save.
Bumgarner hit 19 career home runs as a pitcher. This is the most by any active pitcher and the second-most by a pitcher since the American League adopted the designated hitter rule in 1973. The Giants have not given his number 40 jersey to another player.
Awards and Honors
| Award / Honor | Time(s) | Date(s) | Ref(s) |
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| Baseball America All-Rookie Team | 1 | 2010 | |
| NL All-Star | 4 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 | |
| NL Pitcher of the Month | 2 | May 2014, August 2014 | |
| World Series Most Valuable Player Award | 1 | 2014 | |
| World Series champion | 3 | 2010, 2012, 2014 | |
| Babe Ruth Award | 1 | 2014 | |
| NLCS MVP | 1 | 2014 | |
| Major League Baseball Pitcher of the Month Award | 2 | May & August 2014 | |
| Major League Baseball Player of the Week Award | 1 | August 10–16, 2015 | |
| NL Silver Slugger Award at pitcher | 2 | 2014, 2015 | |
| Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year | 1 | 2014 | |
| Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year | 1 | 2014 | |
| Willie Mac Award | 1 | 2014 |
Life Outside of Baseball
Family and Hobbies
Bumgarner's parents are Kevin and Debbie. He has a stepsister and two older half-brothers. He has been a Baptist since he was a child. Reporters have described him as smart, polite, and very grounded in his Christian faith. Bumgarner is also a cowboy, a farmer, and a rancher. He helps run his family's business, 4440 Ranch & Cattle Company, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Bumgarner married his high school sweetheart, Ali Saunders, on February 14, 2010. They had a private ceremony where he wore a white shirt and blue jeans. In the offseason, they live on a farm in North Carolina. His wife Ali grew up playing softball and sometimes plays catch with him.
Public Appearances and Other Interests
Bumgarner has appeared on television shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He has also been in TV commercials for companies like Carhartt and Ford.
In 2015, a singer named Tim Hall, who knew Bumgarner's father, dedicated a song to him called "Outlaw Southpaw." The song was inspired by Bumgarner's amazing performance in the 2014 World Series.
In 2020, Bumgarner shared that he has competed in rodeo events as a team roper using the name Mason Saunders. He had been roping since he was a teenager and competed secretly during his MLB career. He even won over $26,000 in a competition before signing with the Diamondbacks. He said he might pursue roping more seriously after his baseball career.
Images for kids
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Bumgarner with the Giants in 2013
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Bumgarner playing for South Caldwell High School in 2007
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Bumgarner pitching against the Chicago Cubs in his rookie season in 2010
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Bumgarner in June 2011
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Bumgarner in July 2011
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Bumgarner warming up in 2012
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Bumgarner at the 2012 World Series parade
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Bumgarner with the Giants at the White House in 2013
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Bumgarner pitching in September 2013
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Bumgarner in 2015
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Bumgarner batting in 2015, his second Silver Slugger season
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Bumgarner speaks to reporters during availability at the 2016 MLB All-Star Game
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Bumgarner pitching in 2017
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Bumgarner with the Giants welcomed in the East Room of the White House in 2015
