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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants makes a run for first base during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
The San Francisco Giants lost 5-2 in their series opener against the Athletics. It marked their third consecutive loss, and the ballclub now drops to a season-low 9 games below .500.
Third baseman Matt Chapman batted third and came up to bat with runners on third and second with one out in the 7th inning. He struck out, and the Giants failed to capitalize on a great scoring opportunity. Chapman went 0-for-5 with two total strikeouts. Yesterday’s performance highlighted a rough month of May at the plate for the former All-Star.
Giants Still Owe Matt Chapman a Lot of Money
The third baseman initially joined the Giants in 2024 on a 1-year, $18 million deal. After posting an incredible 7.1 WAR season with 27 home runs and 78 RBIs, Chapman and the Giants agreed on a long-term 6-year, $151 million contract to keep the five-time Gold Glove winner in San Francisco.
Chapman will make $25 million per season for the next four years until 2030. The third baseman will be 37-years-old at the end of his contract. One caveat is that the deal includes a no-trade clause.
Even if the Giants want to get out of his contract, Chapman has the ability to deny any trade that would send him elsewhere.
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after he was called out on strikes against the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on June 07, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Matt Chapman in Brutal Slump
Chapman is known as a streaky hitter. But the former All-Star only has 4 hits while striking out 17 times in 48 at-bats in the month of May. He is posting a brutal .083 batting average during the month.
AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow highlighted Chapman’s slump on X: “Matt Chapman has a .268 OPS in May. The only Giants player who had a lower OPS for an entire month (50+ plate appearances) was Patrick Bailey at .168 in August 2024.”
It has led to the Giants dropping the third baseman further down the lineup.
The Giants even benched Chapman in their May 12 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But it will be hard to give Chapman days off moving forward because of his phenomenal defense at third base.
There is optimism that Chapman will turn it around offensively. He has homered more than 20 home runs in each of the past two seasons with the Giants. Chapman’s current .217 batting average should improve. He is a career .239 hitter.
What’s Next For The Giants
The Giants currently hold an 18-27 record and have lost three consecutive games. They are fourth in the NL West and are 9 games back of the division-leading Dodgers.
San Francisco will face the Athletics for two more games in Sacramento before heading to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks for a three-game series. They then host the Chicago White Sox and Diamondbacks for a six-game home stand.
Kyle Har is a sports reporter focused on the MLB and NFL, covering the San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com. He has four years of experience as a sports radio producer at KNBR in San Francisco and works as a co-host for their Warriors postgame show, "Dubs OT," and weekly Warriors talk show "Just Dubs." More about Kyle Har