Toronto Blue Jays, Matt Chapman reach 2-year, $25 million extension, sources say

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Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Third baseman Matt Chapman and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a two-year, $25 million contract extension, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Tuesday.

Chapman is set to hit free agency following the 2023 season, so this deal with the Blue Jays buys out his final two years of arbitration.

He did not give up any free-agent years, sources told ESPN, and just got cost certainty for 2023, regardless of how he performs in his first season with the Blue Jays.

Toronto acquired Chapman in a trade with Oaklandon March 16, sending four minor league prospects to the Athletics for the three-time Gold Glove winner.

Chapman, an All-Star in 2019, spent his first five seasons with Oakland, registering a .243 career batting average. Last season, he batted just .210, with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs, while striking out more than 200 times.

He earned $6.54 million in 2021, including a $50,000 bonus for winning the Gold Glove.

Toronto went 91-71 last year but finished one game behind Boston and New York in the AL wild-card race.

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