Sources - Diamondbacks designate Madison Bumgarner for assignment

Madison Bumgarner was designated for assignment Thursday by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will eat more than $34 million remaining on the veteran left-hander's contract, sources told ESPN.

Bumgarner, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal with Arizona before the 2020 season, has struggled during his four years with the Diamondbacks, posting a 5.23 ERA over 69 starts. Perhaps his worst outing with Arizona came Wednesday, when he allowed seven runs in three innings against the St. Louis Cardinals and saw his 2023 ERA balloon to 10.26.

Bumgarner, 33, is owed around $20.4 million for the remainder of this year and $14 million for the 2024 season. Once he clears waivers — it is unlikely a team would trade for him, as that team would have to assume the remainder of the money on his contract — Bumgarner would be eligible to sign with a team for the major league minimum of $720,000.

In Wednesday's game, Cardinals hitters mashed five balls at 100 mph-plus and feasted on Bumgarner's fastball, which has dipped on average to 89.5 mph this season, 1.7 mph slower than 2022.

«I wish I had some kind of answers,» Bumgarner told reporters. «Not that I'm not going to look for them — I'm going to look for them. But right now, I don't have any for you guys. I wish I did. But I don't.»

At 11-8, Arizona holds a two-game lead in the National League West division. With a young core led by outfielder Corbin Carroll and right-hander Zac Gallen — and one of the best farm systems in baseball — the Diamondbacks have prioritized transitioning from their rebuild to being competitive this year.

General manager Mike Hazen said last month that Bumgarner's salary would not impact his role, emphasizing that the Diamondbacks «need to win baseball games.»

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