San Francisco Giants Sign Matt Chapman to Extension

According to the late night reporting of Jeff Passan of ESPN, the San Francisco Giants and third baseman Matt Chapman are in agreement on a six-year extension worth $151 million. It also wipes out the final two years of his current deal and keeps Chapman from opting out. The deal will begin in 2025, Chapman’s age 32 season.

Sometime in 2019, the Oakland A’s reportedly made Chapman a $150 million offer over the span of ten seasons, which he rejected. With this agreement with the Giants, Chapman has officially made the right choice, financially speaking, in not taking that deal with the A’s.

Chapman has proven to be one of the better bats in San Francisco’s lineup, batting .247 with a .333 OBP and a 118 wRC+, which is roughly in line with what he was producing the past two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He ranks 13th in baseball in fWAR among hitters, collecting 4.5 wins above replacement, slotting him right behind Yordan Alvarez.

For A’s fans, this has to feel a bit strange. The guy that they were hoping would be their long-term answer at third base is now set to play for the rival Giants, likely to finish out his career. While he’s doing that he’ll be managed by Bob Melvin, who brought a whole lot of winning to the East Bay for a decade.

This move may be calculated by the Giants. Obviously Chapman has been a terrific addition to the roster, but he is also beloved on the other side of the Bay. With the Oakland A’s set to leave town for Sacramento following the 2024 season, this could be San Francisco’s way of trying to get those abandoned A’s fans to dip their toes in to being Giants fans.

If that is the case, it wouldn’t be a bad move by the Giants as they attempt to take full advantage of the entire Bay Area.