Following long-term extension, SF Giants finally have a player they can build around again

After locking Matt Chapman up to a six-year, $151 million extension, the SF Giants have now signed a core piece of the nucleus. The next step is adding to that core this winter but the foundation is now in place.

Following long-term extension, SF Giants finally have a player they can build around again

Perhaps, Giants fans would have preferred Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, or Shohei Ohtani to be the selling point to prospective players in free agency. Those are just a few examples, but there is no denying that stars can attract talent in free agency.

Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies or Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres paved the way to making those desirable locations in recent years. Admittedly, Chapman is not on that level, but at his best, he is not that far off either.

The four-time Gold Glove winner is slashing .247/.333/.445 (118 wRC+) with 22 home runs, 69 RBI, and 90 runs in 579 plate appearances this season. This includes a 10.5 percent walk rate, 24.4 percent strikeout rate, and .198 ISO. Plus, he has set a career-high with 13 stolen bases.

No one will confuse him with being the type of impact bat that someone like Ohtani or Harper is. Chapman is a well-round player and derives value from his bat, baserunning, glove, and durability.

This season has been no different as the 31-year-old has been a plus in all four categories. He derives considerable value from his defense at third base. On the year, he has recorded +13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), +7 Outs Above Average (OAA), and +5 Fielding Run Value (FRV). He leads all third basemen in DRS and is near the top in the other two categories.

His defense should age well throughout his contract. No one truly knows how it will go, but the physical tools are strong. He is an above-average athlete and runner. Plus, he has an excellent arm. These tools should age well.

There is no denying that Chapman is one of the best two-way third basemen in baseball. There were questions about his bat before the season, but he has quelled those concerns with a strong year at the plate.

Not surprisingly, Chapman is sixth in the NL with 4.5 fWAR this season. The players in front of him will all receive heavy MVP consideration, most notably Francisco Lindor (7.3 fWAR) and Shohei Ohtani (6.6 fWAR). There is a good chance that Chapman earns some down-ballot MVP votes as well.

You can build teams around players like that. The Giants have some quality everyday players and a foundational piece in Chapman. One player does not entirely change the dynamic of a team. It takes a strong core to turn it around.

For the Giants, they have one core piece who brings much-needed credibility to the organization. They expect Chapman to be the type of player who can help recruit players to come to San Francisco. And, they will need some luck to fall in their favor because while it is a solid start, there is work to be done.