No surprise: Bumgarner to start Opening Day
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Madison Bumgarner climbed higher in the rarefied territory occupied exclusively by Giants greats when manager Bruce Bochy announced Thursday that the left-hander will start his fifth consecutive season opener March 29 at Los Angeles.
"That's a shock to you guys," Bochy jokingly told reporters.
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Bochy backed into his announcement regarding Bumgarner after he named the staff ace to confront the Chicago Cubs in the Giants' third spring exhibition Sunday. That left Bumgarner in line to face the Dodgers to begin the season.
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This will be Bumgarner's fifth Opening Day start in a row, one short of Juan Marichal's San Francisco-era franchise record for consecutive season-opening outings (1964-69). Marichal started 10 Giants openers overall in his Hall of Fame career.
In his previous four openers, Bumgarner is 2-0 with a 2.74 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 23 innings.