MLB rumors: Giants likely to keep Madison Bumgarner, could become buyers at trade deadline

Bumgarner is one of the best available starters on the market

In the days leading up to the MLB trade deadline, the San Francisco Giants recent success has complicated the club's deadline decision of whether the team will buy or sell. San Francisco has managed to climb from last place to second place in the National League West, and, entering Thursday, the team is within three games of the NL's second wild-card spot.

More recently, there have been recurring rumors of the Giants plans to hold onto their ace Madison Bumgarner, rather than trade the three-time World Series champion.

On Thursday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand added another report to the belief that Bumgarner will still be with San Francisco after July 31. Here's more from Feinsand:

According to a source with knowledge of the team's plans, the Giants are poised to become buyers if they're still in the thick of the National League Wild Card race come Monday, and it's all but certain ace lefty Madison Bumgarner will not be traded, regardless of how the weekend goes.

Bumgarner is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, and although he once seemed like a lock to be dealt prior to Wednesday's Deadline, the Giants' current plan is to hang on to the popular pitcher, the source said.

CBS Sports ranked Bumgarner, 29, as the fourth-best trade candidate in this year's market. In his most recent start against the Cubs on Tuesday, Bumgarner threw seven innings where he gave up three earned runs while striking out seven.