Matt Chapman and Bob Melvin reunited after the four-time Gold Glove award agreed to a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.
The two spent five years together at the Oakland Athletics. Melvin was the team's manager from 2011 to 2021 and recorded the second-most wins in team history with 853.
On the other hand, Chapman started there in 2017 after spending three years in the minor league and won three of his four Gold Gloves.
"It's nice to have him here for a number of reasons," Melvin told reporters when asked about Chaman's signing.
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"We've been talking about infield defense for a while, and it shores that up. So if you look at the way the offseason has gone and the guys we've brought in, it's been pretty impressive. We've checked a lot of boxes along the way."
The two camps have been in talks in the past month but could only finalize the deal on Monday.
Matt Chapman contract details
The 30-year-old third baseman will be with the Giants for three years under a $54 million contract with two opt-outs.
He will receive $20 million in the first year, $18 million in the next, and $16 million in the last season. By 2027, he can utilize a $20 million mutual option with a $1 million buyout.
The signing came a few days after Tristan Beck was put on the injured list due to an aneurysm on his pitching right arm.
Chapman was initially offered $20.3 million by the Toronto Blue Jays but rejected it. For that, the Giants had to lose their second-round draft pick under MLB rules and surrender $500,000 from the international signing bonus pool.
Matt Chapman fumbled the bag?
Chapman could have done better money-wise, according to an MLB reporter.
Scott Mitchell of TSN revealed the 2019 All-Star was offered six digits by the Blue Jays a few seasons before.
"Man, #BlueJays must have no payroll wiggle room because this is the type of deal I expected them to match, especially because Chapman is going to opt out in eight months. It's a head scratcher they'd offer 6/$120M within the past year, then not circle back on this."
This is not the first time Chapman has turned down a lengthy contract. It was widely reported in 2019 that he rejected a 10-year, $150 million contract from the Oakland Athletics.
It is hard to know his plans, but reuniting with Melvin, with whom he spent his best professional baseball years, will be interesting.
Melvin is putting up a roster designed to go further in the postseason.
The team spent a lot in the free agency. They signed outfielder Jorge Soler for a $43 million, three-year deal, reliever Jordan Hicks for a four-year $44 million contract, and catcher Tom Murphy struck for $8.25 million for two years.
They missed the 2023 postseason after finishing fifth in the National League West at 79-83. They had a better record in 2022 with an 81-81 record but still did not make the playoffs.
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