The Blue Jays made an try at extending Matt Chapman earlier than he reached free company, TSN’s Scott Mitchell studies, however Chapman rejected Toronto’s supply. It isn’t recognized precisely when the Jays made the supply or how a lot was on the desk, although Mitchell signifies that Chapman handed on greater than $100MM over the span of a four- or five-year contract.
That is notably lower than the six-year, $150MM deal that MLB Commerce Rumors is predicting for Chapman, who ranked seventh on our record of the winter’s prime 50 free brokers. With Shohei Ohtani as a DH-only participant, Cody Bellinger (ranked #2) and Chapman are the one true place gamers ranked throughout the prime 11 on MLBTR’s record, amidst a free agent class that’s heavy on pitching.
The relative lack of position-player depth available on the market is to Chapman’s profit after one thing of a shaky season. Chapman generated 3.5 fWAR largely on the power one other excellent defensive efficiency, as Chapman earned the fourth Gold Glove of his profession. His .240/.330/.424 slash line and 17 homers over 581 plate appearances resulted in an above-average 110 wRC+, although Chapman struggled badly on the plate after profitable AL Participant Of The Month honors in April, and a finger damage later within the season contributed partially to these struggles.
Nonetheless, Chapman’s hard-contact numbers had been among the many better of any participant in baseball. This has been a development all through a lot of Chapman’s profession, and 2023 additionally continued his monitor document of above-average stroll charges and a number of strikeouts. Since Chapman was on a scorching streak on the plate in July and early August, agent Scott Boras will certainly level to the finger damage as the most important offender for the offensive downturn, arguing {that a} wholesome Chapman will publish higher numbers going ahead….and thus be worthy of a heftier contract.
It’s comparatively uncommon to see top-tier free brokers like Chapman settle for extension gives so near free company, and really uncommon to see a Boras shopper cross up an opportunity at testing the open market. Mitchell feels that the Blue Jays would possibly nonetheless be candidates to re-sign Chapman, however maybe solely in a scenario the place Chapman circles again if he can’t discover a bigger deal, quite than a case of the Jays rising their supply.
Since Chapman will virtually absolutely reject the one-year, $20.325MM qualifying supply earlier than at present’s deadline, the Blue Jays stand to recoup an additional draft choose if Chapman indicators elsewhere. This compensatory choose would fall between the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2024 draft, since Toronto surpassed the luxurious tax threshold in 2023. The Jays are in search of a number of place gamers whether or not or not Chapman returns, although clearly retaining the third baseman would handle one main gap within the lineup.
