SAN FRANCISCO — After missing the first nine weeks of the season, Madison Bumgarner returned to the Giants for the first time Tuesday night. He took the loss in a 3-2 defeat, but Bumgarner overcame a two-run deficit and navigated through traffic to produce a quality six-inning outing. He allowed two runs, no walks, eight hits, and struck out three hitters on 82 pitches.
When asked about his performance, Bumgarner voiced his disappointment in his hitting, as only he would do.
“What I would like to have back is that at-bat with the bases loaded,” Bumgarner said. “I got to find a way to get a guy in there. That was the difference, I think.”
Bumgarner, a lifetime .185 hitter, referred to his plate appearance in the fifth inning, in which the bases were loaded with no outs. He struck out swinging. The following two batters did the same, failing to score any of the three runners on base.
As for his pitching performance, Bumgarner seemed content, though not overly thrilled. He settled down after allowing those two early runs. He said he had a good feel Tuesday night, and his changeup, which he threw more often than normal, was “as good as it has been.”
“They hit some of those balls hard for sure, not trying to take anything away from them, (but) a lot of them were just well-placed,” Bumgarner said. “Nothing you can do about those.
Bumgarner’s 2018 MLB debut resulted in a loss, but he said it was fun to return to AT&T Park, where the fans welcomed him with a standing ovation.
“It’s nice to earn your paycheck instead of stealing it,” Bumgarner said. “I am excited to be back.”
Giants manager Bruce Bochy is, too.
“You get your guy back, it’s a lift for everybody, the rotation, the club,” Bochy said. “It’s good to have him back. You heard the crowd.”
For more Giants videos, click here.