DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Blue Jays have agreed to terms on a two-year, $25 million extension with newly acquired third baseman Matt Chapman, a source confirms to MLB.com, covering the 2022-23 seasons.
The deal, which has not yet been announced by the club, will pay Chapman $12 million in each of the next two seasons with a $1 million signing bonus, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. This extension sets Chapman’s salaries for his remaining two years of team control, removing him from the arbitration process, and he remains on track to hit free agency following the 2023 season.
Chapman was projected to earn $9.85 million in arbitration this offseason, so this extension gives the Blue Jays some payroll certainty over the next 18 months. For a team looking to add further with a multiyear window of contention ahead of it, there’s value to that.
Toronto still has some outstanding arbitration cases, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernández, and it settled with right-hander Ross Stripling at $3.79 million on Monday, Feinsand also reported. With the Blue Jays spending aggressively this offseason following the additions of Chapman, Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi, alongside the seven-year, $131 million extension for José Berríos in November, these arbitration figures will grow more important as its young core sees its salaries grow.
Chapman made one fine first impression in Sunday’s spring home opener at TD Ballpark, homering in his first game in a Blue Jays uniform. The 28-year-old believes an offensive rebound is in store after a down year at the plate in 2021, which to some extent has to be attributed to surgery Chapman underwent the offseason prior to repair his right hip labrum. Chapman feels his strength has returned, allowing him to better use his lower body in his swing, and there’s easily 30-plus home run power in his bat.
Toronto’s pitching staff has loved the move, given Chapman’s reputation as one of the best fielders in Major League Baseball regardless of position. Chapman owns three Gold Glove Awards and two Platinum Glove Awards, given annually to the best overall defender in each league, so the hot corner is in safe hands for the next two seasons.
It’s easy to see the early stages of Chapman’s broader impact on the Blue Jays’ organization, too. Pregame Sunday, No. 3 prospect Jordan Groshans was by Chapman’s side throughout warmups, having several conversations with the former All-Star about defense. Chapman joked that it’s already making him feel old at 28, but he added that he embraces the opportunity to work with the organization’s younger players. That has already been noticed and appreciated by members of the Blue Jays’ coaching staff as well.