Giants’ Matt Chapman to undergo MRI on abdominal strain

Matt Chapman ended an overall productive June on a cold stretch, and in visible pain. The veteran third baseman suffered an abdominal strain while making a play during Tuesday’s 8-2 road loss versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. He will undergo an MRI on Wednesday to gauge the severity of the injury, per USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale. Once the club gathers more information, it can then decide if Chapman requires time on the injured list.

He was already due for paternity leave, as he and his wife prepare to welcome a baby boy into the world (July 5 due date).

The five-time Gold Glove Award winner (two-time Platinum) remains incredibly reliable at the hot corner, but he is underachieving at the dish. Chapman went 0-for-3 with one strikeout against the Diamondbacks and is now batting .235 with seven home runs, a .324 on-base percentage, 368 slugging percentage and .692 OPS through 84 games. Even with his offensive struggles, the Giants cannot afford to lose a core member of their squad.

Following home series wins over the Athletics and Atlanta Braves, San Francisco (35-50) drops two straight in Arizona and now sits 10 and a half games out of the third National League Wild Card position. The Miami Marlins are tied with the supposedly rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals for that final slot. The Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates are also both in the hunt. Giants fans expect their franchise to compete with those aforementioned clubs.

Instead, this group is struggling to hold off the last-place Colorado Rockies. A healthy Matt Chapman is unlikely to save San Francisco in 2026, but he can at least post a strong second half and reclaim his mojo for the 2027 campaign. Hopefully, the 33-year-old can return to the lineup before too long.