© Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
In 25 career plate appearances against Madison Bumgarner, Andrew McCutchen was never able to hit one out of the park.
Until now.
Andrew McCutchen just blasted one off Madison Bumgarner to what I think is Paradise Valley. Buster Posey pushes him out of the box after. pic.twitter.com/wB7rGjA1ef
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) February 20, 2018
Three days before the San Francisco Giants’ first Spring Training game, scheduled for Friday at 12:05 p.m. against the Milwaukee Brewers, McCutchen sent a booming shot over the left field wall at Scottsdale Stadium during live batting practice against Bumgarner.
Under normal circumstances, giving up a home run to McCutchen would’ve been to Bumgarner’s frustration, but since they now wear the same uniform, all the left-hander could do was laugh.
McCutchen took Bumgarner deep during the first live BP session. Bumgarner started laughing and Posey kicked McCutchen out of batters box.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 20, 2018
Bumgarner joked that with his gopherball to McCutchen, he was “ just trying to welcome a new teammate, you know? … It just reiterates why I never tried to throw him in. You watch him play a small amount and you realize he’s quick in there.”
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) February 20, 2018
Shortly after, McCutchen came close to hitting a second home run off prospect Andrew Suarez. Instead, McCutchen’s shot laded at the base of the center field wall 430 feet away that left his new teammates, in particular Nick Hundley, amazed.
McCutchen hit an Andrew Suarez pitch off the center field wall, 430 feet away. Nick Hundley turned to dugout and said "Good trade, Bobby."
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 20, 2018