Free agent third baseman Matt Chapman has been waiting all winter for his market of seriously interested teams to materialize. Is that finally happening?
Chapman suited up for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2022-23. They were a perceived landing spot for the four-time Gold Glove winner for the majority of this offseason, but that may no longer be the case.
The Jays just signed veteran infielder Justin Turner to a one-year, $13 million deal. While the 39-year-old Turner spent the majority of 2023 as a designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox, he's racked up significant time as a third baseman over the years. FanGraphs' Roster Resource currently has Cavan Biggio penciled in as the starter at that position. Toronto has also signed utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa this winter, and he could also take reps at the hot corner.
So, a fit for Chapman with the Blue Jays doesn't seem so natural anymore. Other clubs are interested in the right-handed hitter, though. MLB Network's Jon Morosi specifically mentioned the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs as two possible landing spots:
Matt Chapman?s market clarifies further with Justin Turner going to the Blue Jays.
The Cubs and Giants are among Chapman?s possible landing spots. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 30, 2024
This isn't the first time Chapman has been linked with both clubs. However, with the Jays no longer looking like a serious contender to sign him, it could help get his market moving toward a contract soon.
The 30-year-old didn't have the greatest platform season heading into free agency. Across 581 plate appearances in 2023, Chapman slashed .240/.330/.424 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. However, he's proved to be mostly consistent in the power department, racking up four seasons of 20-plus homers since debuting in 2017. And in addition to his elite defense, Chapman has also been quite durable. Since 2018, he's played in at least 140 games in a season four times.
At the start of the offseason, MLB Trade Rumors predicted the Scott Boras client would sign a six-year, $150 million contract. We'll see how close Chapman and Boras can get to that as his market continues to progress.
