4 moves the Blue Jays should make with Shohei Ohtani’s money

3. Blue Jays can re-sign Matt Chapman on $150 million contract

The Blue Jays have been aggressive in trying to re-sign Matt Chapman, per The Athletic scribe Jim Bowden. It's no wonder why — Chapman is one of the best defensive third basemen in the entire MLB, posting five outs above average in 2023 (87th percentile). The Blue Jays don't have a clear replacement for Chapman on the roster, and he's a positive presence at the plate, too.

With Bo Bichette carrying the offense at shortstop and Chapman anchoring the defense, there's every reason for Toronto to maintain the current infield ecosystem. Chapman slashed .240/.330/.424 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs in 509 ABs last season, constantly finding gaps in the defense with 39 doubles. He also hit 27 homers in back-to-back seasons prior to 2023, so there's more upside in the power department. His 56.4 percent hard-hit rate landed in the 100th percentile, so the indicators are strong.

The Blue Jays can afford to splurge on Chapman's extension. He's 30 years old, presumably in the market for a six or seven-year investment. He's familiar with the Toronto organization and the unique weather requirements of playing so far north. There's every reason to believe Chapman would welcome a return, it's simply a matter of Toronto outbidding the (presumably myriad) interested parties.

It's difficult to find such gifted corner infielder gloves who also profile as above-average bats. Toronto should strive to add to last season's team, but it's also important to bring back the key pieces that helped secure a postseason berth in the first place.