The San Francisco Giants came into 2026 expecting more from Matt Chapman. The veteran third baseman had one home run through his first 58 games. His batting average and OPS numbers were difficult to look at. For a player signed to be a cornerstone of the lineup, the slow start raised real questions about when the real Chapman would show up.
Friday night at Wrigley Field, he showed up in a way nobody could have predicted. San Francisco routed the Chicago Cubs 18-3, with Chapman finishing with a career-high eight RBIs on two home runs and a sacrifice fly, placing him among the most productive single-game performers in Giants franchise history.
After the game, Chapman spoke about what has changed and where his head is at heading into the second half of the season.
Chapman Opens Up on His Turnaround
GettySan Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman.
Speaking to Giants Postgame Live on NBC Sports Bay Area after the win, Chapman admitted he did not know the eight RBIs was a career best until he was told. He described the grand slam in the fourth inning as the moment that got things rolling, with the rest of the lineup feeding off the energy from there.
He did not shy away from the slow start. Chapman acknowledged the season did not begin the way he wanted, but pointed to his recent run of games as evidence that he knows what he is capable of when things click. He talked about keeping his approach simple, making better decisions at the plate, and not missing pitches he should be hitting.
“That was awesome,” Chapman said. “It was great to, obviously, hit that grand slam and kind of get us out in front a little bit there. I feel like everybody just kept piling it on from there. So that was a lot of fun.”
That line captured the mood in the Giants’ dugout perfectly. San Francisco has scored 30 runs across its last two games, and the lineup has come alive in a way that has been missing for most of the season.
“The offense seems to be contagious right now,” Chapman said.
What the Numbers Show
Since May 17, Chapman is hitting .303 with a .927 OPS across 18 games, with three home runs in his last five contests alone. The contrast with the first two months of the season is stark. The player who managed one home run in 58 games has now homered three times in five.
Friday’s performance was the clearest illustration of what Chapman looks like when he is locked in. Two home runs, including a 432-foot three-run shot in the sixth inning. A grand slam off Cubs starter Edward Cabrera in the fourth. Eight RBIs that tied the San Francisco-era franchise record and placed him third in Giants history since 1920.
The turnaround has coincided with a broader offensive surge from the Giants, who are averaging over six runs per game since that May 17 date. Chapman acknowledged the energy in the lineup feels different right now, and the numbers back that up.
What It Means for the Giants
San Francisco is still well below .500 and the season has been a difficult one. Three straight wins and back-to-back explosive offensive performances do not erase what came before, but they offer something to build on.
Chapman is a significant part of that. When he is producing at this level, the Giants lineup looks like a completely different unit. Willy Adames and Casey Schmitt both homered twice alongside him on Friday. Rookie Jonah Cox hit his first career home run. The whole group contributed.
Game two of the series at Wrigley comes on Saturday. The Giants will be looking to carry Friday’s momentum forward.
Final Word for the Giants
Matt Chapman knows what he is capable of. He said so himself after the game, and Friday night was the proof.
Eight RBIs. Two home runs. Franchise history. After a start to the season that tested his patience and his confidence, he delivered the kind of performance that reminds everyone why San Francisco brought him in.
There is a lot of baseball left. Chapman is feeling good. That combination is worth paying attention to.
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