When free agent third baseman Matt Chapman signed with the San Francisco Giants this past offseason, he took a deal that was likely below his value. Much like other superagent Scott Boras clients last winter, Chapman ended up landing a one-year deal with San Francisco that had options within it.
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The two sides agreed to a one-year deal worth $18 million. This also included a $17 million player option or $2 million buyout for the 2025 season, an $18 million player option for 2026, and a $20 million mutual option for 2027.
The hope was that Chapman would perform well this year for the Giants and increase his value around the league. He has played well in San Francisco, hitting .243 with 20 home runs and 62 runs batted.
The veteran third baseman has found a home with the Giants, but some questions remain regarding his future with the team. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants and Chapman have already had some talks to keep him around long-term.
“Can San Francisco make a move, maybe even now, to keep Chapman in the fold? Chapman’s agent, Scott Boras, told the Chronicle that there have been some talks. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi confirmed that, saying, “We’ve had conversations. We’ve had active dialogue.”
Boras continued to say that Chapman is interested in listening to what the team has to say. This is especially true given his success in the Bay Area over his career.
“Obviously, they have interest, so we let them know that Matt plays well in San Francisco, plays well in the Bay Area, and having seasons like he did in 2018-19 (with Oakland) and this year – it’s a good environment for him,” Boras said. “Certainly we are interested in listening to what they have to say.”
Chapman also played with the Oakland Athletics for a few years to start his career before he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He made his only All-Star appearance with Oakland in 2019 and is now having another strong year with the Giants.
If Chapman and the Giants can agree to terms on a new deal, it would take him off the free-agent market. San Francisco seems to want to keep the third baseman around, so it would not be wise to let him hit free agency.
Of course, Chapman could always exercise his player option for next season, but that is a risk for the Giants. San Francisco is building for the future, and they view Chapman as a key veteran building block in those plans.
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