Why Madison Bumgarner won't pitch in Bruce Bochy's final Giants game

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Bruce Bochy’s final game with the Giants could have also served as Madison Bumgarner’s finale. Instead, Bumgarner’s last game before free agency will be spent alongside his longtime manager in the dugout.

Bochy announced late Friday that Bumgarner will not start Sunday as expected. The Giants had shuffled their rotation around on the last trip to allow Bumgarner to pitch Bochy’s final game, but Bochy said he didn’t want Bumgarner to feel obligated to do it. The two spoke Friday afternoon.

“I talked to him and we discussed the whole thing,” Bochy said. “I’d just as soon him hang with me and watch the game with me. I didn’t want him to feel like he had to go out there.”

Bumgarner’s 11th season with the Giants ends with a 9-9 record and 3.90 ERA. He threw 207 2/3 innings and struck out 203 batters. Bumgarner will hit the open market in a few weeks. 

"He's been out there every start. He's pitched enough," Bochy said. "The game is not going to determine anything. He's got a lot of baseball left and I'd like to take care of him."

[RELATED: Pillar wins Willie Mac Award award in first Giants season]

The Giants plan to go with a bullpen game for Bochy's final nine innings. He mentioned Dereck Rodriguez as the likely starter. 

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