Moving on was the right move

Bounceback has earned Chapman big payday, but Jays have found value elsewhere

- GREGOR CHISHOLM

It took longer than he would have liked, but Matt Chapman finally struck it rich and signed the long-term contract he had been seeking for the better part of a year.

The third baseman decided to forego free agency this off-season by signing a six-year extension worth $151 million (U.S.) with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. The deal will pay the four-time Gold Glove winner $25 million annually through 2030 and includes a $1-million signing bonus.

That’s exactly the type of contract Chapman was projected to sign last winter before his market failed to develop. Facing a shortage of suitors following a down season, he settled for a three-year deal with the Giants for $54 million with an optout clause after 2024.

Chapman bounced back this year to put up his best numbers since 2020. He entered Friday batting .247 with an effective .778 on-base plus slugging percentage. He’s still striking out in more than a quarter of his at-bats, but with three weeks to go he has 22 homers, five more than he finished with last season.

Overall, Chapman’s performance has been better than it was across two seasons in Toronto, but not substantially. With the Jays, he was worth eight wins above replacement while producing a 112 OPS+. In San Francisco, he has been worth six wins above replacement with a 122 OPS+.