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With Cody Bellinger agreeing to a return with the Chicago Cubs in late February, the number of premier free agents left on the market is dwindling.
Now, the San Francisco Giants have been predicted to snag one of the remaining stars, with Peter Marzano of CBS Sports Chicago projecting that they will sign four-time Gold Glove Award winner Matt Chapman to a five-year, $110 million blockbuster deal.
“With many other big-market teams having things figured out at third base, the San Francisco Giants perhaps represent the most clear fit for Chapman,” Marzano noted. “While the Giants currently have J.D. Davis slated in at the hot corner, Davis’ ability to also slot in as a first baseman or even corner outfielder gives San Francisco an element of flexibility.”
Matt Chapman Would Bring Elite Defense to the San Francisco Giants, but His Bat Is Slipping
In addition to the numerous Gold Gloves he’s earned at a premier defensive position, Chapman took home the American League’s Platinum Glove Award in 2018 and 2019. He would be a defensive upgrade at third for nearly any MLB team, but his offense saw a concerning slip in 2023 as he slashed .240/.330/.424.
“The bat is where more questions arise for Chapman, particularly after a bizarre 2023 season with the Toronto Blue Jays,” per Marzano. “These concerns persist to potential suitors this offseason, with Chapman’s power primarily going towards center field being another drawback of teams considering him.”
Were the Giants to offer Marzano’s predicted five-year, $110 million deal, they would surely be hoping that Chapman can still hit near his 2018 production, when he went .278/.356/.508 in 547 at bats on the year.
According to Spotrac, Chapman’s market value is in the six-year, $103 million range, with Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (.244/.328/.416 in 2023) and Giants outfielder Michael Conforto (.239/.334/.384 in 2023) as comparable players.
For Marzano’s projection to materialize, it appears the Giants would have to raise their current offer.
“The belief is ex-A’s star Matt Chapman wouldn’t mind the Giants, but there was a decent gap in talks at last check,” Jon Heyman reported for the New York Post.
The San Francisco Giants May Turn to Matt Chapman After Striking Out on J.D. Martinez
In a fairly active offseason, the Giants made significant acquisitions by adding Korean star Jung Hoo Lee, 2021 Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, free-agent slugger Jorge Soler and more.
Soler was apparently a backup option after the team was unable to agree on a deal with free agent J.D. Martinez.
“(The) Giants made an offer while they were also Chasing Soler and Martinez made a counteroffer they weren’t comfortable with,” Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported.
And the Giants’ latest acquisition suggests they are open to adding veterans with award-winning defensive pedigrees.
“The Giants signed veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed to a minor league contract,” according to Pavlovic. “He won a couple of Gold Gloves with Diamondbacks in 2018-19.”
Ultimately, however, the likelihood of a deal that brings Chapman to the Giants could hinge on their plans for Davis.
“Davis’ second-half struggles were acute enough to make the 30-year-old less than a lock to be the Giants’ opening-day third baseman this season,” according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. “The club continues to evaluate alternatives and has been linked to Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman, a free-agent holdout, for the better part of the offseason.”
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