Any chance MadBum could make rehab start in Modesto?

Sorry, Modesto fans, but it looks like you’ll have to hit the road if you want to see San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner pitch his way back to the active roster.

It appears unlikely the 6-foot-5, 250-pound left-hander, on the disabled list since injuring his pitching shoulder in a dirt-bike accident on April 20, will make a rehabilitation start in Modesto as a member of the San Jose Giants, who will be at John Thurman Field for a four-game, Cal League series beginning Friday.

According to reports in The Sacramento Bee and Fresno Bee, Bumgarner will pitch Friday for the Sacramento River Cats in a Pacific Coast League game against the Fresno Grizzlies. His next rehab start could come for San Jose on July 5 against Rancho Cucamonga.

Bumgarner made his first rehabilitation start Sunday for the Giants Arizona Rookie League team, throwing three scoreless innings, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out two. He was 0-3 with a 3.00 ERA prior to the injury and the Giants were 0-4 in his starts this season.

Bumgarner seems to be in midseason form when it comes to dealing with the press, with whom the pitcher can be sometimes prickly. He had this exchange with writer Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News:

How was Bumgarner feeling?

“What part?” he said, scrambling up the clubhouse stairs.

Ummm… the arm?

“Feels like an arm.”

Isn’t that is Matt Cain’s line?

“So what? I like it.”

Bumgarner paused a moment. “But naw, I feel pretty good.”

This story was originally published June 27, 2017 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Any chance MadBum could make rehab start in Modesto?."