Madison Bumgarner chose to play for Arizona Diamondbacks due to his horses: Reports

The MLB offseason saw many high-profile deals go through. While Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon’s moves garnered more attention, Madison Bumgarner’s reported $85 million switch to the Arizona Diamondbacks also raised a few eyebrows. Now reports suggest that one of the significant reasons for MadBum’s move to the Diamondbacks had nothing to do with baseball!

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MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks sign Madison Bumgarner for $85 million deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks were reportedly Madison Bumgarner’s first choice if the club offered him a good deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. While Bumgarner and his team were looking at a potential $100 million contract for the 30-year old, they settled for an $85 million deal the Diamondbacks offered. A three-time World Series winner and 2014 Fall Classic MVP, Madison Bumgarner spent 11 years with the San Francisco Giants before leaving as a free agent.

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MLB: Madison Bumgarner's horses' prime reason for Arizona Diamondbacks move?

The San Francisco Giants offered the veteran hurler a four-year contract in the $70-million range; a source told Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. However, it wasn't enough to keep him in San Francisco. The reports state that four-time All-Star owns horses in the Phoenix area and loves it there. According to ESPN’s Pedro Gomez, familiarity is also one of the critical reasons why Madison Bumgarner chose the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Nobody competes harder than Madison Bumgarner: Buster Posey

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey said that he would miss Madison Bumgarner. Posey said that he has memories with MadBum that would last a lifetime. Posey further added that it'd be fun competing against Bumgarner, while also saying that nobody fights harder that Madison Bumgarner in the field. Bumgarner owns a  career 3.13 ERA with 1,794 strikeouts in 1,846 innings with the Giants.

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