Report: Giants not expected to trade MadBum

The San Francisco Giants don't appear willing to quit on their season.

Sitting 3 1/2 games out of the second wild-card spot, the club is not planning to trade ace Madison Bumgarner prior to Wednesday's deadline, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Bumgarner was expected to be one the best starters available, but the Giants have caught fire in recent weeks, making it difficult for the front office to sell off assets.

The left-hander has been an integral part of the Giants' turnaround, posting a 2.00 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 36 innings over his last six starts.

Though it's understandable the Giants are willing to go for it during manager Bruce Bochy's final season before retirement, keeping their tradeable assets is a considerable risk.

Bumgarner is a free agent at the end of the season, and if the team does not re-sign him, it risks losing him for only a compensation pick. That compensation is expected to be much less than the return received in a trade. With only one deadline this season, San Francisco will not be able to trade players in August as it could in previous years.

The 29-year-old is one of the highest-regarded pitchers in franchise history. He's spent his entire 11-year career with San Francisco, earning four All-Star appearances and three World Series titles.