The Texas Rangers, managed by the experienced Bruce Bochy, finally conquered their demons and for the first time since 2011, advanced to the World Series.
To do that, they had to play seven thrilling games with the Houston Astros, the 2022 World Series champs.
It will be Bochy’s fifth Fall Classic, having lost one in 1998 with the San Diego Padres, and having won three with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
One of the heroes of those postseason runs with the Giants, Madison Bumgarner, texted Bochy with a hilarious message.
“In the hours before another Game 7 for Bruce Bochy today, he got a text from Madison Bumgarner, offering to pitch,” MLB insider Buster Olney tweeted.
In the hours before another Game 7 for Bruce Bochy today, he got a text from Madison Bumgarner, offering to pitch.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 23, 2023
The late-career version of Bumgarner might have confused some, but at his peak, he was the perfect postseason pitcher.
He wasn’t afraid of the big stage, he had no issues pitching on short rest, and he always delivered when it mattered.
In fact, Bumgarner was both the Championship Series and World Series MVP in that 2014 run.
His 0.25 World Series ERA (minimum 20 innings pitched) is the best ever, and his 52.2 innings pitched in a single postseason (2014) are also a record.
When the Giants were MLB’s dynasty in the early 2010s, Bumgarner was by far their most influential pitcher, and they had many.
Bumgarner has Bochy to thank, but the opposite is also true.
Without Bumgarner, the Giants probably don’t win the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals.
It was a cool gesture by the left-hander, but thankfully for Bochy and the Rangers, they didn’t need Bumgarner as they defeated the Astros with a convincing 11-4 score.
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