Will San Francisco Giants Regret Superstar's Massive Contract Extension?

Did the San Francisco Giants make a major mistake with their star third baseman?

Sep 5, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants third base Matt Chapman prepares to bat. / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Not much has gone right this year for the San Francisco Giants, who have fallen below .500 and are on pace to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

There have been several bright spots, however, notably Tyer Fitzgerald's historic power surge, Jordan Hicks' successful transition to the rotation and Blake Snell's no-hitter.

The biggest one has arguably been Matt Chapman, who's putting the finishing touches on another All-Star-caliber season in his return to the Bay Area. The 31-year-old has proven to be one of the best signings of the offseason, slashing .249/.334/.446 with 22 home runs, 91 runs and 69 RBI. He's also stolen a career-high 14 bases while continuing to play excellent defense at the hot corner, contributing to his impressive 6.3 WAR total.

Last week, the Giants rewarded the former Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays star with a six-year, $151 million contract extension that runs through 2030, keeping Chapman in San Francisco for the rest of the decade. The extension will pay Chapman $25 million per season for the next six years and includes a $1 million signing bonus.

OFFICIAL: The #SFGiants and IF Matt Chapman have agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension pic.twitter.com/1AUUzapfEi

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) September 5, 2024

Normally, committing that much money to a player in his 30s could be cause for concern, as players tend to become more injury-prone and see their performance decline as they age. Except for a handful of big spenders like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers, most teams can't afford to whiff on huge contracts like that.

Fortunately, Chapman doesn't have too many red flags on his resume. He's been exceptionally durable, playing at least 140 games every season since 2018 (excluding the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign). In other words, he's a guy you can pencil into your lineup every day.

Skills-wise, Chapman has shown no signs of erosion. He's having his best season in years and does everything well. With his power, plate discipline and defense, the four-time Gold Glove winner is one of the most well-rounded players in baseball.

Furthermore, Chapman is built to last. At 6'0 and 215 pounds, the former All-Star has a solid, sturdy athletic frame. Third basemen also tend to age fairly well, as seen by Mike Schmidt, Graig Nettles, Brooks Robinson, Chipper Jones and others.

Taking all of that into account, there's not much reason to worry about Chapman going forward. He seems like the type of player who will age well and be able to stay on the field. Some decline and injuries are to be expected as he gets older, of course, but he should remain an above-average player for a few more years at least, especially if the Giants DH him more regularly.

San Francisco has made some questionable roster decisions recently, but extending Chapman doesn't seem like it will be one of them.