Dodgers Rumors: Insider Links LA to Matt Chapman as Potential Free Agent Target
With the offseason coming up here shortly, we are slowly entering into rumor city. It’s a lovely place where tall tales are told and hope can turn into reality.
For the Dodgers, the big fish is Shohei Ohtani, but the team will also need to upgrade in different spots. We could see LA being very active this offseason after essentially sitting out of the big names last winter.
LA has a few needs that they could attend to, including at third base. Now, the Dodgers are being linked to a former All-Star player, who could be itching to return to California.
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Dodgers are a potential fit for upcoming free agent Matt Chapman of the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Matt Chapman, the second-best free-agent position player after Cody Bellinger, looks like a potential fit for the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Yankees and, of course, the incumbent Jays. He’s in the top five in hard-hit rate.”
Per Jon Heyman of The NY Post
Landing Chapman won’t come easy, as he is expected to get a major payday this offseason. But he could help solve the Dodgers issues at the corner.
They would be signing him for his defense, as Chapman is a gold glove winner at third. With Max Muncy struggling on defense this season, LA could look to upgrade there.
It would be tough to replace Muncy, but the team could get creative to find a different way to utilize his bat. Muncy has a club option for $10 million next season.
While Chapman is a good defensive third baseman — he’s a three time Gold Glove award winner at the position — his bat hasn’t been too shabby either in the past. On the season, he is hitting .247 with 15 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
It’s a down year for the veteran, but it could help whatever team that lands him, get a slight discount. Chapman does strike out a ton, so that could take the Dodgers out of even considering him for the price he will command.
LA could do a lot worse than Chapman, but they also could likely find someone much cheaper than him. It should be a very interesting offseason from this Dodgers organization and one that will likely change the look of the team.
Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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Only the writers say Ohtani is a priority for the Dodgers. But even this article admits they need an upgrade at 3rd. That and a couple starting pitchers, plus a good rh hitting outfielder. Those are their needs. Ohtani can’t pitch now and by the time he can his 2 time surgically repaired arm will be suspect and the young prospects will have taken over. He can hit but only as a DH.