Matt Chapman to Giants deal on 3-year, $54 million

According to a source who spoke to Newsfastline.com’s Mark Feinsand on Friday night, Matt Chapman, widely considered one of the top remaining position players in the free-agent market, has agreed to a three-year contract worth $54 million with the Giants.

The Giants have yet to officially confirm the deal, but according to Feinsand’s report, Matt Chapman will receive $20 million in the first year of the contract, followed by $18 million in the second year, and $16 million in the third year. The contract also includes opt-out clauses for Chapman after each of the first two years.

This move would see Chapman reunite with manager Bob Melvin, with whom he spent five seasons in Oakland from 2017 to 2021.

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At the outset, 2023 appeared poised to be a standout year for Chapman. He earned the distinction of AL Player of the Month for April, boasting a league-leading 1.152 OPS and 219 wRC+—impressive stats for the season’s opening month. However, that would mark the peak of his performance for the year.

Matt Chapman has agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract with the Giants, per source. The deal includes opt outs after each of the first two seasons. Chapman will earn $20 million in 2024, $18 million in 2025, and $16 million in 2026. @JonHeyman was on it.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) March 2, 2024

Following April 30th, Matt Chapman‘s offensive output significantly declined, evidenced by a .205/.298/.361 slash line, an 84 wRC+, and a 29.8% strikeout rate. Struggling at the plate, he was relegated to the lower portion of the Blue Jays’ batting order, even batting eighth in two postseason games. Moreover, his tally of 17 home runs represented his lowest in a full season since his rookie year in 2017.

Despite his offensive struggles last season, Matt Chapman continued to make strong contact with his bat. His 56.2% hard-hit rate was second only to Aaron Judge among qualified hitters, and his 17.1% barrel rate ranked fourth-best in MLB, trailing only Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Yordan Alvarez.

While Matt Chapman‘s defensive metrics have declined during his time with Toronto, he remains a reliable presence at third base. As a four-time Gold Glove winner and two-time Platinum Glove winner, he recorded five Outs Above Average at the hot corner last season, tying for the ninth-most at his position.

Matt Chapman, drafted in the first round by the A’s in 2014, began his MLB career with Oakland, where he spent his first five seasons. During this time, he maintained an average wRC+ of 120, ranking him tenth among qualified third basemen. Notably, in 2018, he hit 24 home runs with a .864 OPS, and in 2019, he achieved a career-high of 36 home runs alongside a .848 OPS—this marked the year Chapman earned his first and only All-Star selection to date.

About Matt Chapman