Turning down more money and being a free agent jerk

Matt Chapman, 31, who was considered the top free agent infielder but was met with a lukewarm market response, opted for free agency in a San Francisco Giants uniform. Super agent Scott Boras, 72, was helpless to do anything about it.

Chapman held his introductory press conference at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Friday (May 5). It was his first media availability since signing a three-year, $54 million, two-option deal with San Francisco the day before.

The deal includes a $2 million signing bonus and $16 million in salary this year, with a $17 million player option for 2025 (with a $2 million buyout), an $18 million player option for 2026 (with a $3 million buyout), and a $20 million mutual option for 2027 (with a $1 million buyout).

Chapman's guaranteed terms are three years and $54 million, rising to four years and $73 million if both player and club exercise the 2027 mutual option. It's a disappointing deal for Chapman, who was initially hoping for a $100 million-plus deal. However, he has an opt-out that allows him to become a free agent after this year and next season.

Chapman had other options. "He had a mind of his own," Boras said at the press conference. He could have signed a long-term deal, a bigger guaranteed contract, but he chose to bet on himself. "I want to guarantee players as much money as possible, but it's also important to create an environment where they feel comfortable," Boras said, emphasizing that Chapman's willingness to do so was a big factor in the deal.

"This free agency market was definitely weird, and the process was unusual," Chapman said. I was going to bet on myself with a short-term deal with an opt-out if a long-term deal didn't work out," Chapman said. He's willing to take a chance on a shorter-term deal rather than a risky multi-year deal.

The presence of manager Bob Melvin, who spent five years with the Oakland Athletics from 2017-2021, was also a factor in Chapman's decision to come to San Francisco. "I thought about what kind of environment he's going to be in going forward, and San Francisco is definitely a premium in that regard," Boras said, explaining that the strong relationship with Melvin influenced Chapman's decision.

Chapman has had his share of injuries, including a sprained middle finger ligament in his right hand that landed him on the disabled list late last year. "It definitely affected my hitting," he said. I didn't feel consistent in the way I swung the bat, and I couldn't get into a rhythm. I needed to rest, but it wasn't easy during the season. I was unlucky, but it happens in baseball, and I learned from it and I'm looking forward to this season."

"If you look at third basemen like Adrian Beltre and Mike Schmidt, they've been playing at a very high level, reaching their peak after the age of 30. A lot of third basemen have had their best seasons at age 34 or 35," he said, adding that he hopes Chapman, 31, will rebound enough this year to earn a long-term deal.

Chapman, a third baseman drafted by Oakland with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 draft, is batting .244 (3,138-for-754) with 155 home runs, 426 RBIs and a .790 OPS in 868 games over seven major league seasons, including the last two years with the Toronto Blue Jays. He is a four-time American League (AL) Gold Glove winner at third base (2018-2019-2021-2023) and won the Platinum Glove AL award for the top defender in 2018 and 2019. His 97.3% fielding percentage since 2017 ranks second among third basemen behind only Nolan Arenado (St. Louis Cardinals-97.4%).

After a career-high season in 2019, in which he batted .583 (145-for-583) with 36 homers, 91 RBIs and an .848 OPS in 156 games, Chapman was an All-Star, Gold Glove and sixth-place AL MVP, and was offered a 10-year, $150 million extension by Oakland after the season, but he declined. With Chapman unlikely to stay, Oakland traded him to Toronto in 2022.

Last year, Toronto also offered Chapman a four- to five-year, $125 million extension, but he opted out and entered free agency with a bounce-back season, batting .244 (122-for-509) with 17 homers, 54 RBIs and a .755 OPS in 140 games. He won his fourth career American League (AL) Gold Glove at third base, but as his bat didn't improve, neither did his free agent market value. Boras dragged out the negotiations for a long time, but finally landed in San Francisco during spring training in March. He signed a three-year deal with two opt-outs, effectively making him a one-year free agent.

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Pub: 05 Mar 2024 11:30 UTC
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