San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (26) walks back to the dugout before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park. Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Matt Champan Gives Giants Solid Return on First Year of Massive Extension

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 11:00 AM ET

After one of the best years of his career in 2024, Matt Chapman and the San Francisco Giants opted to extend the marriage for several years.

Chapman signed a six-year, $151 million extension before the 2024 season ended, setting the stage for the big-money contract that shortstop Willy Adames signed in free agency and the seismic trade that brought Rafael Devers to the Bay Area in June. In some ways, Chapman’s deal set the stage for all of that.

While several other players manned third base, mostly during Chapman’s absence due to an injury, only two other players logged double digit games at the position, and neither was Devers. He played third base in Boston before he was displaced from the position to start the 2025 season, which preceded his trade. The Giants see Devers as a designated hitter and a first baseman, not as a third baseman. That underscores the franchise’s faith in Chapman in the long term.

San Francisco Giants Third Base Breakdown

Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Chapman played in 128 games, with an injury that sidelined him for about a month keeping him from playing nearly every day. He slashed .231/.340/.430 with a .770 OPS. He hit 21 home runs, 61 RBI, with 23 doubles and two triples. The injury kept him from matching one of the best seasons of his career in 2024, which saw him post a 7.1 bWAR and finish with a slash of .247/.328/.463 with 27 home runs and 78 RBI.

Baseball Savant loves his walk rate (13.3%, 94th percentile) and his chase rate (20.0%, 94th percentile). He finished the season with a batting run value of 13, which was in the 72nd percentile.

His defense at the position is elite. When Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa agreed to make the transition to the position after he was traded back to the franchise in July, he used Chapman’s video to learn the position. Chapman is a five-time Gold Glove, and he could win the award again after finishing with a .961 fielding percentage. Per Baseball Savant his range was ranked in the 87th percentile and his arm strength was in the 74th percentile.

The Giants finished the season 81-81 and short of ending their playoff drought, which is now four years going int the 2026 season. Chapman gives the franchise a foundation at a position that one of the hardest to find a blend of power and defense. San Francisco would love a little more offense, but his elite glove more than makes up for it.

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: