Ex-Blue Jay Matt Chapman signs 3-year deal to join San Francisco Giants

Third baseman Matt Chapman and the San Francisco Giants have finalized their contract that guarantees the former Toronto Blue Jays slugger $54 million US over three years.

Chapman gets a $2 million signing bonus and a $16 million salary this year under the deal announced Sunday, and his agreement includes a $17 million player option for 2025 with a $2 million buyout. If Chapman exercises that option, he has an $18 million player option for 2026 with a $3 million buyout. The deal includes a $20 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1 million buyout.

As a result, he could earn $20 million for one year, $38 million for two years, $54 million for three years or $73 million for four years.

Chapman's deal is similar to the three-year, $80-million agreement between the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Cody Bellinger, who can earn $30 million this year, $30 million in 2025 and $20 million in 2026. The former National League MVP also can opt out after each season.

Both deals were negotiated by agent Scott Boras, who also has pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery along with designated hitter J.D. Martinez still remaining on the market.

Chapman, 30, won his fourth Gold Glove last year and turned down a $20,325,000 qualifying offer from Toronto. Because Chapman turned down the qualifying offer, the Giants lost their second-round draft pick and gave up $500,000 from their international signing bonus pool. Toronto gets an extra draft selection after the fourth round.

Chapman batted .240 with 17 home runs, 39 doubles, 54 runs batted in and a .755 on-base-plus slugging percentage in 140 games. Toronto finished third in the American League East at 89-73 and was swept by Minnesota in their best-of-three Wild Card Series.

Chapman got off to a huge start, hitting .384 with a 1.152 OPS and 21 RBI through the end of April, but slumped most of the rest of the way, tailing off to .205 with five homers, 15 RBI and a .663 OPS in the second half.

Familiar with new Giants manager Melvin

Chapman finished the campaign with 17 home runs and 54 RBI in 140 games and was named the AL's player of the month in April.

The Blue Jays originally acquired Chapman in a deal with the Oakland Athletics in March 2022.

Chapman is familiar with the Giants new manager Bob Melvin, having played for him during his five-year tenure with the A's.

The right-handed hitter set career highs with 36 homers and 91 RBI for Oakland in 2019, when he made his only all-star team and finished sixth in AL MVP voting.

His OPS dipped to .716 with 202 strikeouts in 2021 before a rebuilding Oakland team traded him to Toronto for a package of four players.

Chapman is a .240 career hitter with 155 homers and a .790 OPS in seven major league seasons. He was seventh in AL MVP balloting in 2018.

Chapman was selected 25th overall by the Athletics in the 2014 amateur draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He played the past two seasons under a two-year, $25-million contract, making a $12.5 million salary each season.

J.D. Davis is the incumbent at third base with the Giants, and he also can play first base and left field. Chapman batted .307 with an .890 OPS against left-handed pitchers last year while Davis hit .247 with a .728 OPS against lefties.

Chapman will become the fourth free agent addition for the Giants after outfielder Jorge Soler reached a three-year pact worth $43 million, reliever and ex-Blue Jay Jordan Hicks agreed to a four-year, $44-million contract and catcher Tom Murphy struck an two-year agreement worth $8.25 million.

Chapman will make a $90,000 donation this year to Giants Community Fund and, if the options are exercised, $85,000 in 2025, $90,000 in 2026 and $100,000 in 2027.