NEWSLETTER
Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs came to an opt-out heavy agreement last weekend. And tonight, another one of the Boras Four comes off the board. This time, it’s free agent third baseman Matt Chapman heading to the San Francisco Giants, and not on the deal he was likely hoping for when the offseason began.
Matt Chapman Signs with Giants
Jeff Passan (and many others) have the details:
Immediately, you’ll note the similarities to Cody Bellinger’s deal (3 years, $80M, opt-outs after year one and two). But in a lot of ways, Matt Chapman (strong peripherals, poor results) had the exact opposite problem of Cody Bellinger (poor peripherals, strong results) heading into the winter.
Evidently, the market didn’t care either way, and neither received the long-term consideration they desired (at least at a price point he/Scott Boras deemed worthy).
Chapman was likely seeking something in the six-year/$150M range (just my guess), but again, with slightly declining defensive numbers and a particularly weak second-half offensively (88 wRC+, 5HRs) he just couldn’t get there. So instead, he takes the opt-out structure that will give him another shot at big money in any of the next three offseasons (though he’s certainly hoping to go right back out there next winter).
Giants (and Other) Impact
Meanwhile, the Giants get another free agent bat (they’ve already added Jung-hoo Lee and Jorge Soler, among others), reuniting manager Bob Melvin with his star third baseman from the A’s. I don’t think it’s enough to put them over the Dodgers (and it’s not like the Padres or Diamondbacks are exactly bad). But it’s definitely a step in the right direction. They’ll certainly be threats in the Wild Card race, which could ultimately impact the Cubs, especially if they’re not done yet:
The Giants have had some trouble attracting talent, but their efforts seem to be paying off lately. Maybe they’ve got another deal in them.
As for the other Cubs impact (outside of the WC race), this ends any third base debate. Matt Chapman was a theoretical Cubs target, even after Cody Bellinger, but now the job is really Christopher Morel’s to win and hold. With any luck, he’ll make enough progress there defensively to let his bat carry the rest, and the Cubs will be better off for it.
It’s perhaps MODERATELY surprising that the Cubs wouldn’t go to this level/structure for Matt Chapman, but not too much. And I’m not really sweating it. I’m excited to see what Morel can do. And there are also some infield prospects on the way. But most of all, with Bellinger in the fold, there’s just no sting to “losing” out on Matt Chapman.
For tonight, the biggest remaining free agents to watch are Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and J.D. Martinez. The Cubs are maybe MAYBE interested in the latter two, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if they were done for the winter. Season starts at the end of this month, the loose ends are getting buttoned up, and I’m getting excited. Baseball is almost back. Let’s go.
