The Giants Player Most Likely to Be Traded This Offseason

Matt Chapman's remaining contract and an internal third-base alternative make him San Francisco's most logical candidate for a significant veteran trade.

San Francisco Giants infielder Matt Chapman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matt Chapman is my pick for the San Francisco Giants player most likely to be traded this offseason. His combination of defensive value, remaining salary and a potential successor gives President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey a way to reshape the roster without sacrificing a younger cornerstone.

The obstacles are substantial. Chapman has a full no-trade clause and told The San Francisco Standard in June that he wants to stay and win in San Francisco. This prediction depends on a destination he accepts and an offer that improves the Giants' overall roster.

Chapman Offers the Clearest Path to Reshaping the Infield

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chapman is owed $100 million over four seasons through 2030. That commitment is substantial, but it is smaller and shorter than the remaining guarantees for Willy Adames and Rafael Devers. The Giants' major contract decisions this offseason include determining how those investments fit their next competitive team.

The strongest reason to consider moving Chapman is Casey Schmitt. According to Baseball Savant, Schmitt hit .271/.301/.483 with 21 home runs in 98 games in 2026. That power gives San Francisco a credible offensive alternative at third base.

Posey also said after the season that Schmitt's defensive metrics grade better at third than elsewhere. Schmitt must recover from his torn left meniscus, and his .301 on-base percentage leaves room for improvement. Still, he offers a plausible replacement rather than an entirely speculative prospect solution.

A Chapman trade could give Schmitt a regular defensive home while preserving Marcelo Mayer's opportunity to compete at second base. Both players would need to demonstrate their health and readiness before San Francisco could trust that alignment.

The alternatives create harder roster problems. Trading Logan Webb would deepen a rotation shortage. Moving Jung Hoo Lee would take an established hitter from an already unsettled outfield. Adames and Devers carry longer commitments that complicate negotiations.

Chapman's departure would hurt the defense, but the Giants have a clearer replacement path at his position. That distinction makes him the most logical veteran to discuss.

His Market Value Depends on Health and Salary

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chapman underwent season-ending core-muscle surgery in August, and MLB.com reported that he expected to be ready for 2027.

His final offensive line was .235/.324/.368 with seven home runs in 84 games. Those numbers give potential buyers reason to question how much offense they would receive from a player who turns 34 next season.

His glove provides a stronger selling point. Baseball Savant credits Chapman with four Outs Above Average in 2026, indicating that he continued to convert more opportunities into outs than an average third baseman. He also hit 21 home runs in 2025, offering a recent example of greater power production.

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 assessment preceded his surgery, so it establishes past interest rather than a current offer.

I expect that a serious negotiation would require San Francisco to retain salary or accept another contract. The full $100 million commitment, his age and his recovery make a premium prospect return difficult to envision.

Posey should judge any proposal by the pitching it brings back, the money actually freed and the cost of replacing Chapman's production. A controllable pitcher near the Majors or meaningful savings to reinvest in established arms would give the deal a practical purpose.

The Giants' biggest offseason needs begin with pitching. A Chapman trade earns its place in that plan only if it helps address those needs while giving Schmitt a sustainable role. Among the returning veterans, he presents the clearest route to making that exchange work.