Free agent third baseman Matt Chapman has been waiting all winter for his market of seriously interested teams to materialize. Is that finally happening?
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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.
