Blue Jays acquire All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman from the Athletics
The fire sale continues for the Oakland Athletics, who traded All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman to the Blue Jays, Toronto announced Wednesday.
In return, the A's will receive minor leaguers INF Kevin Smith, RHP Gunnar Hoglund, LHP Zach Logue and LHP Kirby Snead.
Hoglund is almost a year into recovery from Tommy John surgery he underwent while still at Mississippi. The injury caused him to fall to 19th and the Blue Jays in the 2021 draft.
This is the third trade this week involving the Athletics. The dust is still settling after Oakland traded fan-favorite first baseman Matt Olson to the World Series champion Atlanta Braves and starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to the New York Mets earlier this week.
Former All-Star second baseman Carlos Baerga first reported on Instagram that a trade agreement is in place.
Chapman's acquisition would create something resembling a super team in Toronto, what with fellow All-Stars Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer forming a potent core, with a deep starting rotation featuring newly signed Kevin Gausman, Jose Berríos, Hyun-jin Ryu and Alek Manoah.
Chapman, 28, is considered one of the best defensive players in the majors, having won three Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves and one Overall Defensive Player of the Year award in five seasons. His offensive production has fallen over the past two seasons, but the Blue Jays hope he can recapture the years when he was an MVP candidate from 2018-19, finishing in the top 10 in voting each year.
Last season, he batted a career-low .210, but slugged 27 homers and drove in 72 runs.
The deal would complete the Blue Jays infield, which also includes second basemen Cavan Biggio, and surely end any pursuit of free agent first baseman Freddie Freeman.
It's the second time in eight years the A's and Blue Jays completed a deal for an All-Star third baseman with multiple seasons before free agency. In 2014, the A's traded Josh Donaldson to Toronto for a package of players, the most notable eventually Kendall Graveman. In 2015, Donaldson won the AL MVP award as the Blue Jays returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Contributing: Bob Nightengale