San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman is expected to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a hernia and core muscle tear, according to reports.
Chapman, 33, will see specialist Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia on Sunday, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported. The 10-year veteran will then likely have surgery on Tuesday.
“He’s going to go see an expert in that field and be sure about what needs to be done,” Giants manager Tony Vitello told reporters on Friday, via MLB.com. “Surgery’s probably more likely than not.”
“But I think getting squared away with that doctor and [being] 100% about what’s the best path,” he added. “If that is the path, it would be the end of his season on the field.
The Giants are 49-67 going into Saturday’s play, placing them fourth in the NL West, 20 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Chapman has struggled with the injury throughout the season. He has been on the injured list since July 1 with what was termed an “abdominal strain.” The third baseman was noticeably uncomfortable during the Giants’ 8-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 30.
In the sixth inning, Chapman fielded a chopper and threw out catcher Gabriel Moreno but was limping and favoring the top of his right leg as he came off the field. Chapman batted in the seventh and hit an infield pop-out, but limped to first base and subsequently left the game.
Chapman’s 2026 season will end with him appearing in 84 games, compiling a slash average of .235/.324/.368 with 7 home runs, 18 doubles and 42 RBI. He’s signed with the Giants through 2030 after inking a six-year, $151 million contract extension in September 2024.
Despite the injury, Chapman was still outstanding defensively at third base. Advanced metrics credit him with 16 Defensive Runs Saved and 4 Outs Above Average.
In Chapman’s absence, Christian Koss (.157 average, .380 OPS) has been filling in at third base. Casey Schmitt (21 homers, .784 OPS) likely would have taken over at the position, but he will also miss the rest of the season due to a torn meniscus sustained in July 27’s 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers that required surgery.
Another possibility might be Marcelo Mayer, the former Boston Red Sox prospect who the Giants picked up at the MLB trade deadline for left-handed reliever Erik Miller. Mayer, 23, is a natural shortstop but with Willy Adames manning that position, he may have to play elsewhere. Last season, Mayer played 39 games at third base, starting 28 of them.
Mayer is currently on the injured list with a bone stress reaction in his left forearm, but he’s been cleared for baseball activities and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week.
Read the full article here