SF Giants lock up their best position player with 6-year contract extension

The SF Giants locked up their best position player, third baseman Matt Chapman, to a 6-year, $151 million extension. The deal is very large but Chapman has earned it based on his stellar play this year for the Giants.

SF Giants sign Matt Chapman to 6-year extension

Chapman has been the best overall position player for the Giants this season and it is not particularly close. His .247/.333/.445 slash line does not jump off the page, but he has 22 home runs, 69 RBI, and 13 stolen bases this year. Plus, if you factor in the fact that he ranks second among MLB third basemen in Statcast's Outs Above Average (OAA) ranking it makes a lot of sense why he has been worth 6 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball Reference.

Chapman has also been incredibly reliable for the Giants, playing in 136 of the team's 140 games this season. The Giants have not had an Iron Man like this on their team probably since Kevin Pillar played 156 games for the Giants back in 2019.

Going beyond the numbers though, Chapman certainly passes the eye test this season. Anyone who has watched the Giants play this year knows how valuable he is to the team. Whether it is clutch defensive plays like the do-or-die one he made earlier this year to end a game against the New York Mets or clutch at-bats like the bases-clearing double he had a week ago against the Marlins in the bottom of the 8th he has really been the best player on the team this year when you factor everything he brings to the table.

Of course, this contract does not come without risk. Chapman is 31 right now and this contract will take him through his age-37 season. There is certainly a chance for decline or for his body to break down as he ages, but it is a risk the Giants need to take. Chapman is not a superstar but he is the closest thing the Giants have to an everyday player that fans can recognize and expect to see batting in the middle of the order and making at least one web gem a game.

In an otherwise disappointing and forgettable season, Chapman has provided some indellible memories and made this team fun to watch at times. For that reason alone, it is a good thing that he is going to be in San Francisco for quite a while.