Chapman wants to help make the Giants “special.” The film originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
NAPA, Calif. – Matt Chapman had one of the most rewarding offseasons of his MLB career.
The 31-year-old third baseman capped a strong 2024 season with the Giants by signing a six-year, $151 million contract extension on Sept. 6. He and his wife Taylor then welcomed their first child, daughter Gia, to the world almost two weeks later on September 18th. Nine days later, Chapman received the organization’s prestigious Willie Mac Award. Five weeks later, the veteran slugger added his fifth career Gold Glove Award.
Chapman’s eventful fall led directly to a busy winter as he began his offseason training as a first-time father.
“I prepared and trained and spent the rest of my time being a dad,” Chapman told NBC Sports Bay Area at the Giants Fan Fest on Saturday. “It’s a lot of fun, definitely a change of gear for the offseason, but it’s been a lot of fun and we’re really enjoying it.”
As his fatherly duties off the field increased, so did his responsibilities within the organization as one of the Giants’ veteran leaders.
Adding a shortstop was high on the Giants’ to-do list, and one of the players the front office considered early on before signing Willy Adames to a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million contract Signed was free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who is recovering from shoulder surgery in October and likely won’t be ready by Opening Day.
Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey asked Chapman about a temporary position change to shortstop in the event the Giants signed Kim, whom they likely would have waived at the start of the 2025 MLB season.
“Buster called me and asked if we were going to get Kim or if they couldn’t figure out the shortstop situation, if that was something I would be interested in, and I said I’ll do whatever the team asks of me, “No.” Problem,” Chapman shared.
Chapman’s conversation with Posey came approximately two years after the Giants famously agreed to a massive, 13-year, $350 million contract with then-free agent infielder Carlos Correa on December 13, 2022. Shortly after that agreement, the team’s longtime shortstop, Brandon Crawford, was asked to switch positions to third base, a move he admittedly wasn’t initially enthusiastic about but was willing to make.
A big difference between the Correa deal two years ago and the possible pursuit of Kim this offseason was that Chapman was approached about a possible position change before The team reached an agreement with a free agent, while Crawford learned of the position change after the fact.
“That’s all you can ask for, is communication,” Chapman said of his conversation with Posey. “Feeling like you know what’s going on. Buster has definitely been very open and honest with me and tried to keep me informed, so I appreciate that.
“I have had more conversations with him than with any other president [of baseball operations] or general manager I’ve ever worked with.”
San Francisco ultimately waived Kim and set its sights on a bigger move: signing Adames in early December to have him alongside Chapman for the coming years.
“Buster felt we needed to deal with shortstop [and] went out and got the best shortstop available,” Chapman added. “It’s great and I get to play with him for at least six more years and that’s exciting. With him we simply have another man in our lineup who gives us a better chance of winning.”
Chapman said he and Adames stayed in touch throughout the offseason and even trained together for a week earlier this winter.
The addition of Adames was a big boost for the Giants organization, and with spring training less than a month away, Chapman and his teammates won’t have to wait long to take the field with their newest addition.
Then the hard work begins and as he enters his ninth season, Chapman has a goal for 2025 and beyond.
“Make it to the playoffs. That’s my goal,” Chapman explained. “Personally, I have goals, I always want to improve and I have really good seasons, but I have the contract behind me. I don’t have to worry about that, I just want to get to the playoffs, I want to win and continue to build on what I think I started last year and build something that’s consistently winning and special.”
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