One problem for the San Francisco Giants if they sign free agent Ha-Seong Kim is that they would remain without a shortstop until Kim recovered from shoulder surgery.
Enter Matt Chapman.
The Giants third baseman has told club officials he would be willing to move to short until Kim returned, one of numerous scenarios club officials are considering as they seek creative ways to reshape their roster, according to sources briefed on their discussions.
Chapman, who turns 32 in April, has played only 16 games at shortstop as a collegian and professional, including four with the Oakland A’s in 2020-21. But as one of the game’s top defensive third basemen, he almost certainly could handle the position change, at least temporarily.
If Chapman went to short, the Giants could go with Tyler Fitzgerald at third. They also could use Casey Schmitt, an excellent defender who batted .311 with a .991 OPS in 49 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last season. David Villar, too, could figure into the mix until Kim was healthy enough to play short, enabling Chapman to return to third.
Ha-Seong Kim injured his shoulder on Aug. 18 against the Colorado Rockies, missing the rest of the Padres’ season. (Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today)
Chapman’s team-first approach is one reason the Giants signed him to a six-year, $151 million extension in September. His willingness to play short also might reflect the ability of Buster Posey, the team’s new president of baseball operations, to connect with players. Posey, the former All-Star catcher who won three World Series with the Giants, is drawing raves from both agents and rival executives for the “feel” he is displaying in his new role.
Kim, 29, underwent surgery to repair a small tear in the labrum of his right shoulder in October. The timetable for his return is uncertain, but he is expected to miss at least the early part of the season and possibly the entire first half.
The Giants, as they seek to improve their pitching and defense, are doing due diligence on all available options, from Kim to shortstop Willy Adames to right-hander Corbin Burnes and others. Burnes attended Saint Mary’s College in the Bay Area and is a favorite of new Giants general manager Zack Minasian, who was the Milwaukee Brewers’ pro scouting director during Burnes’ tenure with that club.
Part of Kim’s appeal is that he did not receive a qualifying offer from the San Diego Padres and would not cost the Giants a draft pick. The Giants lost their second and third picks last offseason for signing Chapman and left-hander Blake Snell. Signing Adames and Burnes would cost the team its second, third, fifth and sixth selections, part of the price the Giants paid for exceeding the luxury-tax threshold while finishing 80-82. The Giants did not receive any compensation when Snell, who was ineligible for a qualifying offer, signed with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly reported last month that the Giants are expected to take a step back from their $206 million payroll last season. The team’s current projected payroll, according to Fangraphs, is nearly $155 million.
(Top photo of Matt Chapman: Andy Kuno / San Francisco Giants / Getty Images)
