The San Francisco Giants will be without third baseman Matt Chapman for the rest of the season. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Chapman has a hernia and a core muscle tear. He’ll have surgery to address the issue on Tuesday, August 11.
This news means the end of a very disappointing 2026 season. The 33-year-old put up a meager .235/.324/.368 slash line with seven home runs. His 95 wRC+ is a career low and only his second full season under 110 in his career.
Chapman is locked up to a six-year, $151 million extension that runs through the 2030 season. The Giants sought to get out of his contract this season, which ultimately failed. Most likely, his hernia contributed to the lack of trade interest.
The 33-year-old has been on the 10-day injured list since July 1. He exited the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks the previous night and hasn’t been close to game action since.
With the Giants carrying a 48-67 record, Chapman elected to get surgery and focus on getting healthy for the 2027 season.
What’s Next for the Giants and Matt Chapman?
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – JUNE 29: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants reacts to a strike out during the eighth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 29, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Giants manager Tony Vitello hinted at this possibility for Matt Chapman in an August 5 update. At the time, Chapman was still weighing surgery. Now that decision is final.
The Giants will likely transfer Chapman to the 60-day injured list when they need a 40-man roster spot. He’ll remain there for the rest of the season.
The best-case scenario for both the Giants and Chapman is a full recovery from hernia surgery. The 2019 All-Star and five-time Gold Glover is still owed $100 million over the final four years of his contract. Between Chapman, Rafael Devers, and Willy Adames, the Giants have a lot of money committed to their infield.
As a result of his contract and injury, it’s unlikely the Giants will be able to get much of a return or salary relief. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 33-year-old infielder remains in San Francisco after the offseason.
Chapman can focus on getting healthy without the rush of attempting to return to action. The Giants would want him as healthy as possible entering full squad workouts next February.
Between Chapman and Casey Schmitt, the Giants are down two infielders for the rest of the season. They also dealt Luis Arraez to the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of the trade deadline for pitching prospects Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair.
With the injuries to the infield, the Giants have relied on Christian Koss and Oselvis Basabe at second and third base.
Looking at the big picture for Chapman, the best way for the Giants to get out of that control is for their third baseman to be healthy. If he can bounce back and get off to a hot start in 2027, that could allow San Francisco to get a significant chunk of that money off the books.
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