Third baseman Matt Chapman is the type of player many MLB teams would want on their squad. He's a four-time Gold Glove winner and has proven to be a threat to hit 20-plus home runs per year. However, the free agent is still unsigned with spring training underway in Arizona and Florida.
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Chapman's market has been rather quiet for the majority of the winter, too. The San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs have been the teams most connected to him. However, a new team has emerged as a possibility: the Seattle Mariners.
According to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, "the Mariners have discussed the possibility of" landing the third baseman for their squad. It's unknown just how serious this potential interest could be. However, one would imagine the Scott Boras client could use another team or two to jump into the competition for his services. While the Giants remain a distinct possibility, recent news from the Jays and Cubs hint that they may be out on Chapman.
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said on February 15 that the club's heavy lifting for the offseason was complete. If they decide to make another significant addition, it'd mean they'd have to make room on the payroll to afford it. As for the Cubs, right-handed slugger Christopher Morel will be focusing his defensive attention this spring at third base. He hasn't had a set position since debuting for Chicago in 2022, so this could be a major sign that they're no longer considering Chapman.
Even with the Mariners emerging as another potential option, a serious pursuit from them also seems unlikely. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has spent the majority of his offseason unloading salary. It's included trading away the likes of Robbie Ray, Marco Gonzales, Jarred Kelenic and Eugenio Suarez.
So, seeing Seattle turn around and offer something in the vicinity of six years and $150 million to Chapman feels unrealistic at the moment.
