Bumgarner sharp in latest spring start
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (AP) — Madison Bumgarner looked sharp again in his latest spring training outing, though it lasted only two innings.
Officially, anyway. After the San Francisco ace blanked the Padres, he went to the bullpen to throw some more Tuesday, taking breaks to simulate game conditions. He threw 85 pitches in total during the day.
Bumgarner struck out three and allowed two hits without a run against San Diego. He's going to get five days off before his spring training finale, slated for March 27 against Cincinnati, then five more rest days before taking the mound on opening day in Arizona April 2.
"I'm not ever going to complain about an extra day," Bumgarner said.
Bumgarner was in the lineup as the No. 9 hitter, but never got to bat. He did, however, blow a 3-2 high fastball by the Padres' Allen Cordoba to end the second inning, then changed his route to the dugout to stop and have a chat with plate umpire Ben May, presumably about a pitched called a ball earlier in the at-bat.
The left-hander didn't comment on what was said.
Bumgarner threw six innings in his last outing as continues to ramp up for the season. He has not allowed an earned run in each of his past three spring training starts, as he was built up from one inning on Feb. 25 to six on March 15. He has nine strikeouts in 12 innings from those three starts, and his spring training ERA is 2.50.
"He's ready to go," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We feel like we've got him where we need him. These starters are right where we need to have them."
