SF Giants star's latest injury likely due to returning from IL too quickly

SF Giants star third baseman Matt Chapman landed on the IL with right hand inflammation recently. It is the same hand he injured earlier this year and it seems the fact he returned too quickly from the IL is what caused him to re-injure it.

Andrew Baggarly, a reporter for The Athletic, appeared on KNBR recently and was asked about how Chapman's hand injury had been affecting him prior to landing on the IL. He said the following:

"Oh, hugely. I think it contributed probably more than anything else. And he's someone who wants to play every day, and he's going to convince his manager he can play every day. And his manager has been with him a long time, and they trust each other. But I think if—I mean, you have to think in retrospect, having him start the first 31, 33 games after he came back, taking a total of three innings off, probably not a good idea in retrospect.”

Matt Chapman's speedy return from IL may have caused more problems for SF Giants

Baggarly and the hosts both brought up Chapman's final year with the Toronto Blue Jays and how a hand injury similarly affected him the rest of that season. Chapman's numbers were certainly in decline this season as he slashed .196/.278/.366 in his final 30 games.

Baggarly's point regarding Chapman and manager Bob Melvin's relationship is a fair one considering Melvin shut down the idea of a day off for Chapman just a few days before he landed on the IL.

It is admirable that Chapman did do everything he could to get back on the field after jamming his right hand into the first base on a pick-off attempt back in June. He helps the team in so many ways thanks to his defense and leadership on the field so one cannot fault him for rushing back to try and help the team win.

Yet, it is important for him to look after himself now that he is getting older. There was certainly risk involved in giving a player on the wrong side of 30 a big contract extension like the Giants did with Chapman, so he needs to make sure he can be on the field as much as possible and is not playing through things that he could re-aggravate.

If there is any silver lining to Chapman's IL stint, it at least creates an opportunity for younger players like Casey Schmitt and Christian Koss. In a lost season, giving those guys more opportunities is more important than Chapman putting himself at greater risk of injury.

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