The San Francisco Giants announced that they have signed their third baseman Matt Chapman to a new six-year extension.
Chapman joined the Giants ahead of the 2024 MLB season on a three-year, $54 million deal that included opt-outs after the first and second seasons. It proved to be a great piece of business for the San Francisco team as the four-time Gold Glove Award winner delivered a stellar defensive performance in 136 games he played so far while batting .247 with 22 homers, 13 stolen bases, and 69 RBIs.
Instead of risking losing Chapman to free agency, the Giants decided to recognize his great performances by locking him to a long-term deal. The new agreement will start in 2025, replacing the two years on his current contract, and is reportedly worth a total of $151 million.
The deal allows Chapman to avoid another potentially stressful free agency. He was expected to get his big payday last winter but was met with a surprisingly calm market that eventually caused him to land with the Giants in the first place.
The Giants, on the other hand, retain a reliable player that could help them overcome the struggles that followed them in recent years. San Francisco is heading towards missing playoffs for the third straight year, sitting at a 68-72 record and having lost seven out of their last 10 games.
