Matt Chapman looks like the Giants’ most tradeable piece this offseason, and the logic is pretty straightforward: he still has real defensive value, his contract is shorter than the other big-money infield deals on San Francisco’s books, and Casey Schmitt gives the club a possible answer at third base if President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey decides to make a move.
That does not make a deal easy. Chapman has a full no-trade clause, and he told The San Francisco Standard in June that he wants to stay and win in San Francisco. Any trade would need both his approval and an offer that actually improves the Giants’ roster.
The financial piece matters too. Chapman is owed $100 million over four seasons through 2030. That is a major commitment, but it is still smaller and shorter than the remaining guarantees for Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, which is part of why Chapman stands out when the Giants start sorting through their offseason contract decisions.
Schmitt is the key to the whole conversation. According to Baseball Savant, he hit .271/.301/.483 with 21 home runs in 98 games in 2026, giving the Giants a real offensive option at third.
Posey also said after the season that Schmitt’s defensive metrics grade better at third than elsewhere. Schmitt still has to come back from his torn left meniscus, and that .301 on-base percentage leaves room for improvement, but he is a believable replacement, not just a hope-and-pray prospect idea.
If Chapman were moved, Schmitt could take over the everyday defensive job at third while Marcelo Mayer keeps his chance to compete at second base. Of course, both players would have to prove they are healthy and ready before the Giants could count on that setup.
The alternatives are messier. Trading Logan Webb would only make a rotation shortage worse.
Moving Jung Hoo Lee would strip an established bat from an already unsettled outfield. Adames and Devers, meanwhile, come with longer commitments that make any negotiation harder to pull off.
Chapman’s defense still gives him value, even if the bat has dipped. Baseball Savant credits him with four Outs Above Average in 2026, a sign he continued to turn more chances into outs than an average third baseman.
He also hit 21 home runs in 2025, which serves as the reminder that the power is still in there. But his final offensive line in 2026 was .235/.324/.368 with seven home runs in 84 games, and he turns 34 next season.
That gives any potential buyer plenty of reason to pause.
His season ended early, too. Chapman underwent season-ending core-muscle surgery in August, and MLB.com reported that he expected to be ready for 2027.
There was already some trade buzz before the surgery. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported in June that rival executives viewed Chapman as the most movable of the Giants’ three expensive veteran infielders. That was before the injury, so it reflects how teams saw him at the time rather than any current market.
If the Giants seriously explore it, the framework probably has to include San Francisco eating money or taking back another contract. A full $100 million commitment, Chapman’s age and the recovery timeline make a big prospect haul tough to picture.
For Posey, the real test is whether a Chapman deal actually helps the bigger plan. The Giants’ biggest offseason need starts with pitching, so any trade would have to bring back pitching, free up usable money, or both. A controllable pitcher close to the Majors, or meaningful savings to put toward established arms, would give the move a clear purpose.
That is what makes Chapman the veteran most worth discussing. His exit would hurt the defense, but the Giants have the cleanest replacement path at his position. Among the returning names, he is the one who most naturally fits the kind of roster shift San Francisco may need to make.
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