Giants ace Bumgarner to make season debut Tuesday vs. D-backs

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner will make his season debut Tuesday night at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks after recovering from a broken pinkie on his pitching hand.

The return comes at a key moment in a key series against the D-backs, who atop the NL West have a 1.0-game lead on the Colorado Rockies, 1.5-game lead on San Francisco and 2.0-game lead on the Los Angeles Dodgers entering Tuesday.

Bumgarner has been out since March 23, when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield in the Giants’ final game of spring training. The San Francisco ace had surgery to insert three pins into his finger.

Originally tabbed to be San Francisco’s starter on opening day, Bumgarner was dominant in two rehab starts in the minors. He struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings for Triple-A Sacramento, then fanned seven in 4 2/3 innings for Class A San Jose.

Bumgarner was the MVP of the 2014 World Series. He was limited to 17 starts last year following a dirt bike accident during an off-day in Colorado that left him shoulder and rib injuries.

Bumgarner finished 4-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA that was the second-highest of his career. He bounced back with strong a spring training that included 30 strikeouts over 21 innings before getting hurt.