Yankees: A look ahead at 5 best free-agent starting pitchers in 2020

4. Madison Bumgarner

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner turned 30 last month and has spent his entire 11-year major league career with the San Francisco Giants. He has compiled a 119-91 (.567) won-loss record and a lifetime 3.11 ERA with the club. His WAR in 2019 is 2.5 and 32.5 over his career in the big leagues.

More than any other free-agent starter, Bumgarner is postseason battle-tested and has done extremely well pitching at the highest ceiling of competition. Overall, he is 8-3 (.727) with an impressive 2.11 ERA in postseason play.

Included in this number is his 4-0 record with a minuscule 0.25 ERA in World Series games. He was the MVP in both the 2014 NLCS and World Series contests. Indeed, he put in one of the most incredible World Series performances in 2014. Bumgarner has been a fierce and successful gladiator in the important battles he has fought.

Mad Bum would significantly elevate the Yankees starting rotation. This rural North Carolinian workhorse likely has a good number of outstanding pitching years left in his arm.

I would have ranked him higher; however, I am somewhat concerned about his recent display of bad temper and behavior on the field. Yet, a change of scenery in terms of geography, team, and league should improve his behavior, motivate him, and overall, do him a lot of good.

Unlike his recent years with the Giants, Bumgarner also would be pitching for a powerful offensive juggernaut, the Bronx Bombers. A modest drop in his level of performance over the last three seasons while playing for a struggling team and the unusually large size and high quality of the free-agent market could make him an affordable free agent. The Yanks could do a lot worse.