SF Giants’ Melvin thrilled for Chapman reunion, Zaidi explains expected impact
By DAVID BRANDT | AP Baseball Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco manager Bob Melvin built the bulk of his sterling managerial reputation while leading the Oakland A’s for 11 seasons from 2011 to 2021.
Now the Giants have added one of Melvin’s former A’s stars who made those teams good.
Third baseman Matt Chapman and the Giants have finalized their contract that guarantees him $54 million over the next three years, providing a reunion for the four-time Gold Glove winner and a manager who said he knows Chapman “as well as probably anybody in the game.”
“It’s nice to have him here for a number of reasons,” Melvin said. “We’ve been talking about infield defense for a while, and it shores that up. So if you look at the way the offseason has gone and the guys we’ve brought in, it’s been pretty impressive. We’ve checked a lot of boxes along the way.
“So I’m obviously very happy.”
Chapman became the fourth free agent addition for the Giants after outfielder Jorge Soler reached a $43 million, three-year deal, reliever Jordan Hicks agreed to a $44 million, four-year contract and catcher Tom Murphy struck an $8.25 million, two-year agreement.
Chapman — a 30-year-old who won his fourth Gold Glove last year — turned down a $20,325,000 qualifying offer from Toronto. Because Chapman turned down the qualifying offer, the Giants lost their second-round draft pick and gave up $500,000 from their international signing bonus pool. Toronto gets an extra draft selection after the fourth round.
To open a roster spot, the Giants put right-hander Tristan Beck on the 60-day injured list with a vascular injury. Beck is set to have surgery Monday to remove an aneurysm in the upper part of his pitching arm.
Chapman gets a $2 million signing bonus and a $16 million salary this year under the deal announced Sunday, and his agreement includes a $17 million player option for 2025 with a $2 million buyout. If Chapman exercises that option, he has an $18 million player option for 2026 with a $3 million buyout. The deal includes a $20 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1 million buyout.
As a result, he could earn $20 million for one year, $38 million for two years, $54 million for three years or $73 million for four years.
Chapman batted .240 with 17 home runs, 39 doubles, 54 RBIs and a .755 OPS in 140 games last season. Toronto finished third in the AL East at 89-73 and was swept by Minnesota in their best-of-three Wild Card Series.
The third baseman got off to a huge start, hitting .384 with a 1.152 OPS and 21 RBIs through the end of April, but he slumped most of the rest of the way, tailing off to .205 with five homers, 15 RBIs and a .663 OPS in the second half.
Melvin said a finger injury affected Chapman through much of the last half of the season and expected that better health would improve those numbers. General manager Farhan Zaidi agreed, saying he believes the “issue is behind him.”
“His offensive profile actually plays well in this park,” Zaidi said. “He has solid numbers at Oracle, but when you do the deeper analysis of his batted ball data and how it would play at Oracle, it’s relatively favorable. … That makes it a really good fit for us.”
The right-handed hitter set career highs with 36 homers and 91 RBIs for Oakland in 2019, when he made his only All-Star team and finished sixth in AL MVP voting.
Chapman is a .240 career hitter with 155 homers and a .790 OPS in seven major league seasons. He was seventh in AL MVP balloting in 2018.
J.D. Davis is the incumbent at third base with the Giants, and he also can play first base and left field.
Chapman batted .307 with an .890 OPS against left-handed pitchers last year while Davis hit .247 with a .728 OPS against lefties.
Melvin said the organization still has confidence in Davis and that his attitude has been good.
“Message to J.D. yesterday, today is look, just keep playing, just keep doing what you’re doing,” Melvin said. “You never know how things are going to shake out. You never know what’s going to happen in the spring.”
Zaidi acknowledged that the Giants have a surplus of corner infield bats and still might make a few moves before the regular season starts in 3 1/2 weeks.
Chapman will make a $90,000 donation this year to the Giants Community Fund and, if the options are exercised, $85,000 in 2025, $90,000 in 2026 and $100,000 in 2027.
His deal is similar to the $80 million, three-year agreement between the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Cody Bellinger, who can earn $30 million this year, $30 million in 2025 and $20 million in 2026. The former NL MVP also can opt out after each season.
Both deals were negotiated by agent Scott Boras, who also has pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery along with designated hitter J.D. Martinez still remaining on the market.
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AP Baseball Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report.