Madison Bumgarner ignites six-run 3rd inning with double as Giants decline DH

OAKLAND – Madison Bumgarner won’t get to compete in the Home Run Derby, so he’ll have to settle for the rare privilege of taking his hacks in an American League ballpark.

The San Francisco Giants’ staff ace and part-time slugger had expressed an interest in participating in the showcase the day before the All-Star Game, but manager Bruce Bochy told news reporters before Thursday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics that the idea has been discarded.

“There’s no Home Run Derby with Madison. It’s been nixed,’’ Bochy said. “The players union, of course they don’t want a pitcher taking a (position) player’s spot in the Home Run Derby, and I don’t think they were too keen on doing the pitchers’ (Derby) this year.’’

That idea emerged after pitchers like the Chicago Cubs’ Jake Arrieta and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, both adept hitters, said they’d like to participate in the derby as well.

Rather than Bumgarner swinging away in an exhibition, the Giants opted to have his bat in the lineup Thursday at the Oakland Coliseum, becoming the first team in 40 years to intentionally eschew the designated hitter. The last club to make that choice was the 1976 Chicago White Sox, who had Ken Brett – a career .262 hitter – bat for himself.

In his first at-bat facing rookie left-hander Dillon Overton, the right-handed-swinging Bumgarner doubled to deep center leading off the third inning in which he batted twice as the Giants exploded for six runs.

Bochy, who called Bumgarner the best-hitting pitcher he has ever seen, has used him as a pinch-hitter before and last year considered having him bat in an AL ballpark. This time, with the Giants’ roster decimated by injuries, Bochy weighed his options and consulted with the lefty, who was eager to hit.

“This wasn’t a tough call for me, the way he swings the bat, the numbers, facing a left-hander, all these things came into play,’’ Bochy said. “It’s nothing against our guys, but he’s a pretty good hitter and it’s a pretty good matchup.’’

Though Bumgarner is batting just .175 this season, he has two home runs – one off Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw – and hit a combined .252 with nine homers in winning the Silver Slugger award each of the last two years.

His ratio of one home run every 16.6 at-bats over the last three seasons would rank 12th best in the National League this year.

“He’s got the talent to hit and he likes to hit. Some pitchers don’t,’’ Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens said. “He’s a power hitter with quick hands and a pretty good knowledge of the strike zone. All those things combine to allow him to have good at-bats even though he hits only once every five days.’’

A’s manager Bob Melvin wasn’t surprised the Giants chose Bumgarner over a position player, especially since three of the options – Gregor Blanco, Jarrett Parker and Conor Gillaspie – swing from the left side, and the other one is backup catcher Trevor Brown.

When he managed the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2005-09, Melvin had a sweet-swinging pitcher in Micah Owings – a career .283 hitter with nine home runs – and Melvin considered employing him instead of a DH in an AL game. He opted not to, but called on Owings to pinch-hit and the big right-hander once won a game for Arizona with a homer off the bench.

“I would love to have someone like that who you can plug into the lineup depending on what the roster looked like, but there’s not too many guys like that,’’ Melvin said, referring to Bumgarner. “He’s got some power and he swings the bat well. He’s a real hitter.’’