Is SF Giants third baseman Matt Chapman playing in the World Baseball Classic?

The SF Giants have a number of players who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic. Is star third baseman Matt Chapman one of them?

As of right now, the answer is no. Rosters have been announced and the Giants made public which of their players will take part in the competition. Chapman is not one of them.

SF Giants third baseman Matt Chapman will not compete in World Baseball Classic

Pack when names were only being rumored to participate, Chapman's came up as a possible representative for Team USA. As did Willy Adames and Rafael Devers as two possible representatives for the Dominican Republic.

Yet, it seems none of those three will ultimately compete. Alex Bregman is going to play third base for Team USA so there really isn't a need for Chapman. Plus, questions of insurance complicate things so that could have been part of the calculus as well.

Ultimately, it is probably a good thing for the Giants that Chapman will not compete in the WBC. He is almost 33 years old and he is coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season. He battled through 128 games but he has typically been a reliable player throughout his career.

Still, as he gets older there is always the fear that he will spend more time on the injured list. He dealt with hand issues last season that kept him out at different points, and it may have impacted him at the plate more than he admitted.

If the Giants are to have any success in 2026, they will need Chapman to remain healthy for the bulk of the season. He brings so much to the table defensively and is an unquestioned leader on the team so he is arguably the most valuable position player on the club.

Beyond obvious health reasons, Chapman's voice will be an important one as new manager Tony Vitello tries to establish himself and gain the full trust of the locker room.

Vitello is replacing Bob Melvin who Chapman was obviously very close with dating back to their days together with the Oakland A's. So far, Chapman seems to be on board with the new skipper.

Still, with a leader like Logan Webb being away from the team for some time to compete in the WBC, that makes it important for Chapman to be there in camp to ensure there is buy-in from his teammates.

Vitello probably should not have too much trouble getting people on board given his charm and personality, but having Chapman in camp is only going to make the transition easier.