Buster Posey wants to bring in old battery mate

The Giants’ new team president would like to see Madison Bumgarner return to the organization in some role

New San Francisco Giants president Buster Posey has a long history with Madison Bumgarner, so it’s no surprise he wants to see his old battery mate back in a Giants uniform. To be clear, he means as a coach.

Bumgarner hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since the Arizona Diamondbacks released him in April 2023, with nearly two full seasons remaining on the five-year, $85 million deal he signed in 2020. At the time, Bumgarner had made four starts and had a 10.26 ERA. Not only that, he was feuding with former pitcher Dan Haren, who was employed a pitching consultant by the Diamondbacks. When Mad Bum boasted to reporters about disregarding Haren’s extensive scouting reports, it didn’t sit well with his new team. Nor did his diminishing velocity.

There’s been talk about Bumgarner getting back in a Giants uniform since the team celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2014 championship team in August. Posey, not yet elevated to his new position, told reporters he thought a Bumgarner comeback would be difficult.

“I think the longer you stay away, the harder it is to get back on the horse, no pun intended,” Posey said, but expressed his interest in Bumgarner returning to the team in some way.

“Of course I’d like to see him retire as a Giant,” Posey said. “I’m hoping we get to see a lot of him in the future and that somehow he’s going to be part of the organization for the rest of his life.”

Bumgarner hasn’t retired, nor admitted that he’s done pitching, in part because his contract was still paying him through the end of the 2024 season. But there weren’t any teams lined up to sign Bumgarner even at the major league minimum, even with his old skipper Bruce Bochy managing the Texas Rangers and their injury-plagued pitching staff.

Now Posey reiterated his interest in Bumgarner on Jayson Stark’s podcast “Starkville.” Bumgarner has apparently talked to Posey regularly since he got his new job, a fact that surprised Posey because he thought the Giants’ former ace might “just disappear, and go be in the woods somewhere.”

But if Bumgarner wants to rejoin his old organization, Posey is happy to have him, though he anticipates it could be more of a drop-in than a regular job. Bumgarner can’t really be a pitching coach when he’s busy on his ranch, riding horses, roping cattle and rescuing rabbits by chopping up snakes with an axe.

“My sense is, it will be a very limited role just based on what he wants to do from a schedule/timing standpoint,” Posey write in a text message to The Athletic. “Could be as simple as coming to spring training for a week or so.”

Mad Bum’s return would be a welcome sight for fans, and he’d probably have solid advice for the Giants’ young pitchers. He’d also likely have some negative opinions about the Giants’ love of “bullpen games,” as Bumgarner’s 2014 World Series performance should let you know how much he values rest.

Plus, if a snake happens to wander onto the field at Scottsdale Stadium, the Giants will know exactly who will deal with it. Maybe all Kyle Harrison needs to take things to the next level is to learn how to swing a hatchet.