SF Giants expected to pursue extension with Gold Glove third baseman

There is a good chance that SF Giants third baseman Matt Chapman reaches free agency in the winter. However, the Giants would like to bring back the four-time Gold Glove winner according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

SF Giants expected to pursue extension with Gold Glove third baseman

Chapman has been open about his desire to remain with San Francisco beyond this season. In-season extensions do happen, but they are rare. That said, there seems to be a willingness on both sides to ensure that the veteran bat remains with the club.

That could be easier said than done. Chapman signed a one-year, $18 million pact with the Giants in the offseason. This included a pair of player options for 2025 and 2026 followed by a mutual option for 2027. If all three options are exercised, he could earn $55 million in guranteed money after this season.

However, declining his player option in favor of free agency seems like a good bet. The right-handed bat is having a solid season at the plate, slashing .245/.335/.441 (120 wRC+) with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, and 822 runs in 522 plate appearances. This includes an 11.1 percent walk rate, 24.3 percent strikeout rate, and .197 ISO.

The 31-year-old third baseman continues to play excellent defensive at the hot corner. He has been worth +12 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and +5 Outs Above Average (OAA) this season and will be in the mix for yet another Gold Glove Award. Plus, he remains one of the more durable players in baseball as he has appeared in 122 out of 125 games for the Giants.

In a lot of ways, this has been Chapman's best season since 2019 and should finish the year with some down-ballot MVP votes. There were questions last offseason about how his bat would perform as he ages, but he has shown no signs of slowing down in 2024.

Given all this, Chapman will likely decline his player option with the hopes of landing a much larger payday in free agency. And, he has earned it. This time around, he will not have to worry about a qualifying offer being attached to his name for prospective teams.

Chapman has been an excellent fit for the Giants and has been everything they could have asked for and more. The eight-year veteran grew up in California and spent his first five seasons with the Oakland A's. Geography is often one of the biggest factors in free agency, so the Giants have that in their favor.

It would behoove them to try and work out a deal before Chapman reaches free agency. However, with Scott Boras as his agent, that seems unlikely. One thing is clear and that is the Giants would like to bring back Chapman for the foreseeable future and should broach that discussion in the coming months.