Matt Chapman Off To A Slow Start In 2021
Matt Chapman went 1-for-4 with an RBI in a loss to the Dodgers on Monday. The RBI was Chapman's second on the young season as the All-Star third baseman has gotten off to a slow start, batting just .133 through five losses to begin 2021. Despite the slow start, fantasy managers should leave Chapman locked into starting lineups. He has been in the top-eight percent of players in hard hit rate and average exit velocity in three-straight seasons and he posted an elite 18 percent barrel rate last year. Chapman is fine and the hits should start falling for him soon enough. Things won't get any easier in the immediate future, however, with matchups against Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer in his next two games.
Source: ESPN.com
Oakland Athletics third baseman Source: ESPN.com
Matt Chapman Homers, Drives In Three On Thursday
Matt Chapman had a big game in a 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. Chapman went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and three RBI but it wasn't enough for his team to overcome the Phillies. The veteran infielder is now hitting .239 with three homers, 11 runs, 12 RBI, and two steals across 67 at-bats this season. Chapman is showing signs of heating up with a .304 average over his past seven games.
Source: MLB.com
San Francisco Giants third baseman Source: MLB.com
Matt Chapman Struggling Through Slow Start
Matt Chapman went 0-for-5 with a run scored on Wednesday and is hitting just .205 through his first 12 games of the season. He does have a pair of home runs, eight walks, and eight RBI, so he has still contributed to the Giants' 9-3 start to the season, but his batting average is lagging. His batted-ball data shows a decline in hard-hit rate to just 33.3% so far this season, which would be his lowest rate since arriving in the MLB in 2017 with the Athletics. He has gone 0-for-17 in his last four games, and he'll look to turn things around on Friday after Thursday's day off as the Giants start a 10-game road trip with matchups against the Yankees, Phillies, and Angels.
Source: ESPN.com
San Francisco Giants third baseman Source: ESPN.com
Matt Chapman Open To Moving To Shortstop
Matt Chapman is open to moving to shortstop if the Giants sign free-agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim. Chapman has spent the vast majority of his professional career playing at the hot corner, as he has logged just four starts at shortstop since 2020. However, given his elite defensive ability, the 31-year-old should not have much trouble adjusting to the 6. Kim declined his mutual option with the San Diego Padres earlier in the offseason and is expected to miss at least the first month of the 2025 campaign due to shoulder surgery he underwent in October. With the Giants losing lefty Blake Snell in free agency to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they do have some salary flexibility, and seeing that Chapman is willing to switch positions could entice several infield free agents to consider signing in San Francisco. Chapman enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign in 2024, hitting 27 long balls, a nice increase from the 17 he hit in 2023, and could enjoy a boost in his counting stats if San Francisco adds another infielder to their lineup.
Source: Ken Rosenthal
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, San Francisco Giants third baseman Source: Ken Rosenthal
Matt Chapman Hits Inside-The-Park Home Run Monday
Matt Chapman continued his strong offensive second half in Monday's 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks. Chapman went 2-for-4 with a triple, a two-run, inside-the-park home run, three RBI, a walk, and two strikeouts. The 31-year-old hit a third-inning Eduardo Rodriguez fastball off the center-field wall, which ricocheted back into center field and allowed him to scamper around the bases for his 27th homer of the season. Chapman has put together an impressive second half after a lackluster first half, slashing .275/.354/.565 with 14 HR, 35 RBI, and six stolen bases in 200 at-bats. Chapman provided high-end power earlier in his career, and his second half has shown that he still has the ability to do so.
Source: MLB.com
San Francisco Giants third baseman Source: MLB.com
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