SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Details matt chapman The more the four-time Gold Glove Award-winning third baseman looked around, the more he wanted to return to the Bay Area.
“It seemed like destiny,” Chapman said. “I think there's some unfinished business.”
Chapman, a California native, was introduced to the San Francisco Giants at the team's spring training facility on Monday, a day after signing a three-season, $54 million guaranteed contract.
The third baseman will be reunited with former manager Bob Melvin. Chapman played under Melvin for five seasons from 2017 to 2021, when the two were with the Oakland Athletics across the bay, and the famously frugal franchise was scheduled to begin the 2022 season. They previously traded the third baseman to the Blue Jays.
“We felt like we built something really special with the A-team, and unfortunately it was ripped out of our hands,” Chapman said. “To come back and be with an organization like the Giants, a team that's not afraid to spend money, get free agents, keep the guys together and add players. All the things you'd expect from a winning franchise.”
The Giants are eager to spend this offseason chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West. The Dodgers are coming off a 100-win season and spent more than $1 billion to sign Japanese star Shohei Ohtani. Yoshinobu Yamamoto –Meanwhile, the D-backs made a surprise run to the World Series last season.
Chapman has reached an agreement with outfielder Jorge Soler to a three-year deal worth $43 million, reliever Jordan Hicks to a four-year deal worth $44 million, and catcher Tom Murphy to a two-year deal worth $8.25 million. He became the Giants' fourth free agent after signing . .
Chapman has player options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and his contract includes a reciprocal option for 2027. He could earn $20 million in one year, $38 million in two years, $54 million in three years or $73 million in four years.
If Chapman plays as expected in 2024, he could hit free agency again.
“The market has definitely been strange this year and the free agency process has been a little unusual,” Chapman said. “But our goal was to bet on ourselves by getting a long-term contract that we felt we were worthy of, or if not, a short-term contract with an opt-out.”
Chapman played in 140 games last season, hitting .240 with 17 home runs, 39 doubles, 54 RBIs and a .755 OPS. Toronto finished third in the American League East with 89 wins and 73 losses, and defeated Minnesota in the best-of-three wild card series.
The third baseman got off to a great start, hitting .384 with a 1.152 OPS and 21 RBIs through the end of April, but slumped for most of the rest of the season, slumping to a .205 batting average, five home runs, 15 RBIs, and one RBI. He had a .663 OPS in the second half.
Chapman said a sprained left middle finger hampered his offense in the final months of last season, but those issues are in the past.
“I just needed some rest,” Chapman said. “It's not easy to rest during the season. I tried to get through it.”
His agent, Scott Boras, insisted Chapman had many options. Boras believes the 30-year-old is entering the peak of his career.
“I've seen this with (Adrien) Beltre and (Mike) Schmidt. If you go back and look at all the third basemen, they reach a lot of their optimum after they're 30 years old and play at a very high level. I will play,” Boras said. “Many third basemen are having their best seasons at age 34, 35.”
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