The Toronto Blue Jays had a hole on their roster at third base and filled it early Wednesday with Matt Chapman.
The Jays reportedly are acquiring the All-Star third baseman from the Oakland Athletics, according to multiple reports. Former Major League Baseball second baseman Carlos Baerga was the first to report the agreement.
It’s still unclear what Toronto is giving up to get Chapman, but MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported the Blue Jays aren’t expected to part with any big league roster players in the deal.
Chapman, a three-time Gold Glove winner, immediately shores up Toronto’s infield defense. He’s also a fairly formidable threat at the plate after hitting 27 home runs with 72 RBIs last season for Oakland. Statistically, 2021 might have been the worst season of his career, though, as his already-high strikeout numbers got even worse, with Chapman striking out 202 times in 151 games. His .210 batting average and .716 OPS were also career-lows.
However, the offensive potential is undeniable. Chapman finished sixth in MVP voting in 2019 after hitting .249 with 36 home runs and 91 RBIs while winning one of his three Gold Glove awards. And even if his offensive production looks more like 2021 and less like 2019 moving forward, the defensive upgrade alone might be worth the move. And anything close to his career averages at the plate in that Blue Jays lineup will be more than enough.
Toronto now has one of the best infields in baseball, too. Chapman takes over at third base alongside Bo Bichette at shortstop, while Cavan Biggio likely is the everyday second baseman. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., meanwhile, sticks at first base, assuming the Jays don’t make another splash to acquire a first baseman.
The Blue Jays already looked like a contender in the ultra-competitive American League East before swinging the reported deal. Only the New York Yankees have better odds to win the division at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the Blue Jays’ win total is set at 91.5 following offseason upgrades at starting pitcher (Yusei Kikuchi, Kevin Gausman) on top of their 2021 deadline acquisition of Jose Berrios.
