Report: Madison Bumgarner submits 8-team no-trade list
Bumgarners contract allows him to block trades to eight teams, and sources told (MLB Network insider Ken) Rosenthal that his list includes the Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Brewers, Yankees, Phillies and Cardinals.
Now, the fact that those teams are on Bumgarners list doesnt necessarily mean he wants to avoid them. Rather, its a way for Bumgarner to gain some leverage over his situation, as the eight teams are all contenders that could be interested in acquiring him before the non-waiver Trade Deadline.
As Rosenthal notes, Bumgarner will likely be motivated to approve a trade because players who are dealt during the season are not eligible to receive a qualifying offer in free agency the following offseason.
Up until the next years MLB Draft, teams need to forfeit one or more picks to sign a free agent who rejected a qualifying offer, which can sometimes put a damper on a players free-agent value. That is believed to be one of the reasons why Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel remain unsigned, as both players rejected qualifying offers. The market for each player is expected to pick up once the Draft passes June 3-5.
https://www.mlb.com/news/madison-bumgarner-submits-no-trade-list
Sad to see this occur, however the Giants have enough $ to bring him back next year -- if they want him. Meanwhile. S.F. picks up a badly needed prospect or two.