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The Philadelphia Phillies are being urged to trade for third baseman Matt Chapman to address their struggles with right-handed hitting.

After a slow start to the season, the Philadelphia Phillies have largely turned things around. Still, they need help, particularly in the form of a right-handed hitter. That’s where the San Francisco Giants fit in.

The Giants are having an abysmal season, and it was recently reported that they’re looking to trade off some of their major pieces and rebuild. That includes third baseman Matt Chapman, who is on the second year of a six-year, $151 million contract. Nick Ziegler of Sports Illustrated believes the Phillies should jump on that opportunity to trade for him.

“Even though the outfield figures to be the most logical place for them to try to improve, they could potentially look at some long-term fixes as well,” Ziegler wrote. “If they choose to do so, one option for them could be San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman.”

This season, Chapman is hitting .252 with a .337 OBP and a .400 slugging percentage for a .737 OPS. He has 7 home runs and 41 RBIs, while playing in a ballpark that isn’t hitter-friendly. On top of that, he’s elite defensively, having won two platinum gloves.

On top of that, because he’s on a long-term deal, there is hope he could be the Phillies’ long-term answer at third base. That’s particularly true as Alec Bohm heads for free agency at the end of the season.

“With the Giants having a fire sale this summer, Chapman is going to be a player that they might seek to move with his large contract,” Ziegler wrote. “The former All-Star is signed through 2031, and if San Francisco is serious about resetting, moving the veteran makes sense… In order to move the contract of Chapman, the Giants would likely have to eat a fair amount of it, especially if they are looking for some decent prospects in return. Overall, while he is 33 years old, the talented slugger has shown no signs of slowing down and could provide the Phillies with their third baseman for the next few years.”

Alec Bohm Has Struggled at Third Base for the Philadelphia Phillies

The third overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Alec Bohm has spent his entire career in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, cracking the majors in 2020. Still, he has struggled to live up to where the Phillies drafted him, only making one All-Star team in 2024.

This season has been a struggle, in particular. Hitting just .227 with a .280 OBP, .369 slugging percentage, and a .648 OPS, it’s a severely down season compared to his career averages. That’s going into an offseason where the expectation is that MLB will undergo a major labor dispute at the same time that Bohm hits free agency for the first time.

In the meantime, the Phillies are trying to make a playoff push in 2026. Even with some improved play as of late, that lack of hitting from a third baseman doesn’t help.

The Phillies Were Connected to a Giants Pitcher

Matt Chapman isn’t the only Giant who the Phillies were connected to. They were also recently tied to Robbie Ray.

This comes in a season where Aaron Nola has struggled, former top prospect Andrew Painter had to be sent to Triple-A, and the Phillies moved on from Taijuan Walker. In other words, it comes in a season where the Phillies need help on the back end of their rotation.

Ray has an excellent pedigree that includes being a two-time All-Star and the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner. This season is a far cry from those Cy Young heights, but Ray does have a 4.07 ERA, 1.331 WHIP, and 8.4 strikeouts per nine.

It’s not likely that Ray would come to Philadelphia and be a top-end starter. However, for the right price, he’s capable of filling in a gap on the rotation.