*Photo from MLB Trade Rumors*
It was already clear before, and now it's actually happening. The Oakland Athletics are tearing it down. The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired 3B Matt Chapman from the Athletics in exchange for SS Kevin Smith, RHP Gunnar Hoglund, LHP Kirby Snead, and LHP Zach Logue. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
This is the major move Toronto was looking for, a big name with big time talent to give a massive boost to their infield, making it one of the best in baseball, with Chapman joining forces with Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Chapman is entering his second year of arbitration, and is projected to earn $9.5 million. He is scheduled to hit free agency after 2023.
Besides his bat, Chapman adds incredible defensive value to the Jays infield, manning the hot corner very well in an AL East full of right handed power hitters. He comes to Toronto with a Wilson overall defensive player of the year award, 3 gold glove awards, and two platinum glove awards, a sure upgrade defensively.
Last season with the A's, Chapman did struggle with the bat, hitting to a .210 average with a .403 slugging percentage and .716 OPS, but still finished with 27 home runs and 72 RBI's, adding in 3 stolen bases in 151 games played for Oakland, who finished in 3rd place in the AL West.
Across 5 big league seasons, all in Oakland, Chapman has a .243 batting average with a .478 slugging percentage and .808 OPS, mashing 11 home runs to go with 296 RBI's, playing in 573 regular season games and making one all star game. In two playoff games, Chapman has two hits and one walk in 9 plate appearances.
One player coming back to Oakland is Smith, an infielder who could potentially get reps at 3rd base immediately. Smith made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays last season, hitting .014 with a .381 OPS, with one home run and 3 total hits in a small sample of 18 games.
Another player who made his debut in 2021, Snead, had a 0-1 record with a 2.35 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, striking out 7 hitters and walking two in 7 2/3 innings pitched, making two starts and 5 relief appearances in his first major league action. Snead was a 2016 10th round pick by the Blue Jays, out of Florida.
Logue, the second lefty pitcher in the trade, has not made his MLB debut just yet. Split between Double A New Hampshire and Triple A Buffalo in 2021, Logue finished with a 12-4 record with a 3.67 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, making 24 starts and one appearance out of the bullpen.
The most important part of the return for Oakland is Hoglund, who was the Blue Jays 4th ranked prospect after being selected in the first round, with the 19th overall pick, in the 2021 draft. The A's will have to wait a while longer to see Hoglund in action, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2021, likely keeping him out until the 2023 season.
In Toronto, Chapman immediately joins one of the best looking infields on paper in baseball. In Oakland, Smith should compete for a role at either 3rd base or shortstop on the opening day roster, while Snead and Logue are possible candidates to make the opening day roster as well, whether that's in the rotation or bullpen.
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