Add Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta to the list of National League pitchers who want to participate in the Home Run Derby.
Arrieta joined San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner as star hurlers hoping to show off their swing, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“If [Bumgarner]’s in it, I need to be in it,” Arrieta said. “He can hit the ball a long way, but I can too.”
He also mentioned that taking part in the event would be a greater thrill than some of his pitching accomplishments, per ESPNChicago.com’s Jesse Rogers:
Arrieta displayed his power when he launched this bomb off Arizona’s Shelby Miller on April 10, courtesy of MLB.com:
The jack came on Arrieta‘s first plate appearance of the season.
For his career, he has three home runs and 13 RBI in 169 plate at-bats.
Bumgarner told ESPN’s Buster Olney this week that he wants to be in the Derby. However, Giants manager Bruce Bochy would not let that happen, per Olney.
“No, to be serious, I couldn’t let him do it,” Bochy said. “We couldn’t let him do it.
“And [Bumgarner], he’s convinced he could win it,” the manager continued. “I think he would wear himself down in the first round; he’d try to hit it so hard.”
Bumgarner noted that suffering an injury in the competition would not be an issue, as the team let him ride a horse when he carried the team’s World Series banner before San Francisco’s home opener last April, per Olney.
“I mean, they had me ride a horse on the field, so if they trust me with something like that with 40-some-thousand people going crazy and I can’t do baseball activities, that’s a little bit different,” Bumgarner said. “We’ll talk about it for sure. I’m not trying to say that this is a done deal or anything like that.”
In 401 career at-bats, the 26-year-old has 13 dingers and 45 RBI. Two of his homers have come off Clayton Kershaw, including this one from last year, courtesy of MLB.com:
According to former MLB player and Fox Sports Midwest’s Rick Ankiel, Bumgarner could win the competition:
Arrieta or Bumgarner would be a fun addition to an event that could use a spark. If it came down to only one pitcher being allowed entry into the Derby, then MLB should choose Bumgarner. He has proved to be more of a threat at the plate.
Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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