Madison Bumgarner DFA’d, Winning Forces Difficult Decisions

Chase Field –  On April 20, 2023 the Diamondbacks return to Chase Field sitting in first place in the NL West. 

This team is loaded with young talent. When young talent starts learning how to win, cultures change. 

Madison Bumgarner no longer fit his grizzly veteran role because he wasn’t producing. It’s simple.

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“We did it for one reason, based on performance.”

Torey Lovullo shared a lot of thoughts about the Madison Bumgarner after he was DFA’d today.

Says this move shows his players that there is an urgency to continue winning this season. @Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/G0OPw26XiB

— Jordan Spurgeon (@spurge_) April 20, 2023

20 runs and a 3-2 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 16 2/3 innings doesn’t cut it. Working on a change up but failing to use it effectively in games doesn’t cut it. Not being willing to come out of the bullpen doesn’t cut it.

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Mike Hazen and co. did discuss moving Madison Bumgarner to the bullpen.

According to Hazen, there wasn't much buy in on that move which led to the DFA.

Torey Lovullo mentioned that he thinks there could be something left in the tank for another team IF he develops new pitches… pic.twitter.com/tRFlcxvh6c

— Jordan Spurgeon (@spurge_) April 21, 2023

If the Diamondbacks were already buried in the cellar of the division 20 games in, there may have been a case to keep Bumgarner. After all, why eat $34 million if the team is losing?

Making this move now while the team has a winning record demonstrates the urgency this organization has to develop a winning culture. This doesn’t mean that Arizona will finish with a winning record in 2023, but the guys in the locker room and making their way through the ranks now understand what the expectations are. No matter how big of a name they are.

Torey Lovullo doesn’t know who will take his place in the rotation, but he knows there’s plenty of young options in the organization. Potential is more important to this year’s Diamondbacks squad than anytime in recent memory. 

Last year Arizona moved on from long-time fan favorite player David Peralta near the trade deadline. That move allowed guys like Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy, and Alek Thomas earn their stripes. That’s how rebuilds are supposed to work. There will be plenty of young pitchers earning those innings in 2023.

Winning  forces difficult decisions. There will be more in the near future for the Diamondbacks as a winning culture continues to grow. The players in the building all seem to understand it. That speaks volumes to their maturity and the way this organization works on the mental side of the game as players climb the ranks.