D-backs’ Bumgarner-Vogt combo brings veteran leadership to clubhouse

New Arizona Diamondbacks ace Madison Bumgarner wasn’t the only one to come over from the San Francisco Giants this offseason.

The left-hander was also joined by catcher Stephen Vogt, who signed a one-year contract with the D-backs just three weeks before Arizona captured Bumgarner’s signature.

“What a great guy and teammate he is, he’s fun to work with. I’m glad he’s here and excited to get to play with him again, I’m glad to have him,” Bumgarner said of Vogt.

“I think it’s a really good group. Obviously there are still a lot of guys to get to know and get to know closer, so I’m looking forward to that. I think this is a group that can do some special things.”

Vogt, 35, will be going into the eighth season of his career and was a two-time All-Star with the Oakland A’s in 2015 and 2016.

And after missing the entire 2018 season due to a shoulder injury, the 35-year-old spent his lone season with Bumgarner in San Francisco last year.

“We’re comfortable with each other. We know each other very well since we spent a year together in the clubhouse and talked about pitching in between starts, just different things like that,” Vogt said.

“So we do have a good relationship and Carson (Kelly) and I have already talked a lot about him — just some different things and kind of looping everybody in. We just want to go out there and win and the best way to do that is to all be on the same page.”

While Buster Posey has been the primary catcher for Bumgarner over the last decade, Vogt did catch the lefty seven times in 2019.

In those games, Bumgarner was 2-1 with a 3.35 ERA, 29 strikeouts (6.1 K/9) and a 0.953 WHIP over 43 innings pitched.

Compare that to his 7-8 record, 4.04 ERA, 174 strikeouts (9.5 K/9) and 1.172 WHIP over 164.2 innings of work when a catcher other than Vogt was behind the plate.

“When it’s his day to pitch, everyone is ready to go,” Vogt said of Bumgarner.

“You know you have a good chance of winning that day because he puts you in a position to win. He’s a one-of-a-kind ace and leader.”

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