There is perhaps no player more synonymous with the last of the Giants’ third World Series title of their dynastic era than Madison Bumgarner, the hard-nosed horse of the pitching staff who started six games that October, tossed two complete game shutouts and came out of the bullpen to record the final three outs of Game 7.
The 10-year reunion set to take place Saturday at Oracle Park would have felt empty without him.
But the elusive Bumgarner will be there, the Giants announced Friday, along with a guest list of 36 other players, coaches and front office members from the 2014 championship team. Among the notable absences are Bruce Bochy and Pablo Sandoval, who are still active in the game, and Tim Lincecum, who has kept an even lower profile in retirement than Bumgarner.
While Bumgarner hasn’t officially announced his retirement, he hasn’t thrown a professional pitch since he was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks last April in the fourth year of the $85 million contract he signed before the 2020 season. Seemingly content to retreat to his North Carolina ranch, Bumgarner has mostly stayed out of the public eye since his release.
Lincecum made a rare appearance at Oracle Park for Bochy’s farewell ceremony before the final game of the 2019 season but didn’t make it to the 2012 team’s 10-year reunion and seemingly won’t make it to this one, either.
Bochy, obviously, did not retire. This week he had other obligations celebrating his most recent World Series title, visiting the White House with his 2023 champion Texas Rangers. And Sandoval, after a brief appearance in spring training, is playing for the Atlantic League’s Staten Island FerryHawks with no signs of slowing down.
Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 12 p.m. Saturday for the start of the festivities.
See the complete guest list* below:
*=subject to change
