American · Scotts Valley, USA · Born 1 August 1989Madison Bumgarner was a hard-throwing left-hander famed for legendary World Series pitching performances with the San Francisco Giants.
Madison Kyle Bumgarner was born on August 1, 1989, in Hickory, North Carolina, to Kevin and Debbie Bumgarner, and grew up roughly ten miles away in an area nicknamed "Boomtown" for the concentration of Bumgarner family descendants who had settled there generations earlier after emigrating from Germany. Bumgarner began playing organized baseball at age four, and by the time he reached South Caldwell High School in nearby Hudson, he had become one of the most sought-after young pitching prospects in the country, helping his team capture the 2007 North Carolina 4A state championship. The San Francisco Giants selected Bumgarner with the tenth overall pick in the 2007 draft, and he reached the majors remarkably quickly, debuting in September 2009 alongside catcher Buster Posey — the beginning of one of the most accomplished pitcher-catcher pairings in recent baseball history. Bumgarner helped San Francisco win its first World Series in the city's history in 2010, throwing eight scoreless innings in Game 4. Bumgarner's defining moment came during the Giants' 2014 championship run, widely regarded as one of the greatest individual postseason pitching performances in baseball history. He won Games 1 and 5 of the World Series outright, then, on just two days' rest, entered Game 7 in relief and threw five scoreless innings to close out the championship against the Kansas City Royals — a performance that earned him both World Series and NLCS MVP honors. Known as "MadBum," Bumgarner was also an unusually dangerous hitter for a pitcher, winning two Silver Slugger Awards. He won three World Series titles with San Francisco (2010, 2012, 2014) before finishing his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, retiring with 2,070 career strikeouts and a reputation as one of the most clutch postseason performers of his generation.
Giants postseason ace, 2014 World Series MVP
How They Played
Power pitcher with excellent control and competitive spirit
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest postseason pitchers in MLB history
Career Honours
- 3x World Series champion (2010, 2012, 2014)
- World Series MVP (2014)
- 4x All-Star
- 2x Silver Slugger (pitcher)
| Team | Period | Games | Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Giants | 2009–2019 | 270 | #40 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2020–2023 | 519 | #31 |
American Athletes