When the Toronto Blue Jays sent four prospects to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for third baseman Matt Chapman, they were getting a top-caliber player.
Chapman is really known for his extraordinary glove, but he can hit, too.
The Blue Jays’ official Twitter account took some time to remind fans some of Chapman’s achievements throughout his career.
3x Gold Glover. 2x Platinum Glover. All-Star. Blue Jays Third Baseman,” they tweeted, with some emojis.
3x Gold Glover 🏆
2x Platinum Glover 😎
All-Star ⭐️Blue Jays Third Baseman 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MisTAQcqbz
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 30, 2022
As you can see, most of his career highlights have to do with defense.
It’s incredibly good, potentially game-changing.
If you were wondering, fans vote for each league’s best defensive player each season (no matter the position), and the winner gets the Platinum Glove.
A Solid Hitter With A Difference-Making Glove
Chapman, a real wizard at the hot corner, has won it twice.
Not named in the Blue Jays’ tweet are two Fielding Bible awards, in 2018 and 2019.
For a player who made his MLB debut in 2017, that’s quite impressive.
Chapman’s addition will make every Blue Jays infielder better, and will have a huge impact in pitchers, especially groundball pitchers.
But his game is more than just defense.
Last season, Chapman wasn’t as good as previous campaigns, hitting .210/.314/.403, but still managed to hit 27 homers with the A’s.
He is capable of much more, as he showed us in 2019.
That year, he slashed .249/.342/.506 with 36 home runs, 102 runs, and 91 RBI.
If you were wondering how much the “bouncy” ball impacted his production that year, he hit 24 homers a year earlier and was on a 43-homer pace in 2020, when he knocked 10 balls out of the park in 37 games.
He won’t hit for the highest batting average, but Chapman will produce in Toronto, and he is surrounded by elite talent.
