SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Madison Bumgarner wanted to face big league hitters. Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti didn’t want the San Diego Padres, Bumgarner’s opponent in his second scheduled start this season, to get multiple looks.
So they devised a compromise. Bumgarner pitched two innings and then went to the bullpen to build up to 85 pitches.
“I was still going through their lineup,” Bumgarner said. “I just happened to not give up a hit in the bullpen, and I struck everybody out.”
Bumgarner will have just one more start in the 12 days before he’d pitch the April 2 opener at Arizona’s Chase Field.