Report: Twins have ‘strong interest’ in Madison Bumgarner

The Minnesota Twins have been one of the best teams in baseball as we approach the midway point in the season, and they are reportedly looking to make a big trade that would help position them for a deep postseason run.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Twins have shown “strong interest” in acquiring starting pitching Madison Bumgarner from the San Francisco Giants. The Twins are not on Bumgarner’s no-trade list, which could make a deal with them less complicated.

The Minnesota #Twins, who aren’t content simply to win the AL Central, are showing strong interest in #SFGiants ace Madison Bumgarner. The #Twins are NOT on Bumgarner’s no trade list enabling the Twins to acquire him without his approval.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 26, 2019

Minnesota entered Wednesday with an 8.5-game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. They’re tied for the most wins in the American League with 51, while the Giants are in last in the NL West and may have no choice but to be sellers at the trade deadline next month.

Bumgarner would obviously be one of San Francisco’s most appealing trade pieces, though one contending team is said to be hesitant about paying a huge price to acquire him. The left-hander is having a down year with a 4-7 record and 4.21 ERA, but he’s one of the best postseason pitchers in MLB history. You can understand why a team like the Twins would be high on him.