MLB Rumors: Another Matt Chapman suitor, Montgomery reunion, Manfred replacement
- An AL West team discusses adding Matt Chapman.
- The chances Jordan Montgomery will reunite with former team
- Who could replace Rob Manfred as commissioner?
By Scott Rogust
Mariners interested in Blue Jays 3B Matt Chapman
One of the main stories of the MLB offseason has been how slowly signings have trickled in. There have been some big moves, like the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two of the top free agents. But as of this writing, players like Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Matt Chapman are still available, with spring training under way for all 30 teams.
When it comes to Chapman, the veteran third baseman has been linked to the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs in free agency. The Toronto Blue Jays have invested heavily in the infield, and Chapman's spot appears to be gone. But now, there is another team that has expressed interest in Chapman's services.
According to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, the Mariners have "discussed the possibility" of signing Chapman to help fill their starting third baseman spot.
Divish notes that the Mariners have previously explored bringing in Chapman in 2022, when the third baseman played for the rival Oakland Athletics and when Kyle Seager retired. Ultimately, Chapman was dealt to the Blue Jays.
The Mariners do have a void at third base, as the team traded Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for catcher Seby Lopez and minor league right-handed pitcher Carlos Vargas.
Bringing in Chapman will help fill the role defensively. After all, he's won four Gold Glove awards in his seven-year career, including one this past season.
In 2023, Chapman recorded a .240 batting average, a .330 on-base percentage, a .424 slugging percentage, 17 home runs, 54 RBI, 66 runs, 122 hits, 165 strikeouts, and 62 walks in 509 at-bats (140 games). While playing third base, Chapman recorded a .968 fielding percentage after posting 114 putouts, 253 assists, and 12 errors in 379 chances.
It's unknown how serious the Mariners are in their pursuit of Chapman, but they have at least discussed possibly adding him, per Divish.
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