(Photo: J Nash Boulden, Wikimedia Commons)
By Michael Lipinski, Sports Talk Philly Editor 
Baseball is back and that means the Oakland Athletics can commence their favorite pastime, a fire sale. The Athletics have already traded All Star pitcher Chris Bassitt to the Mets. Not to be outdone, the Phillies are reportedly interested in Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman.
Chapman, 28, is a three-time Gold Glove winner, a former All Star, and a two-time Platinum Glove winner (best overall defensive player). The Scott Boras client is relatively cheap, an estimated $9.5 million for 2022, but he has two more seasons of team control.
What will it cost to pry Chapman from the Athletics? A lot.
The Inquirer’s Alex Coffey is reporting the Athletics are, rightfully so, asking for a top tier prospect as the centerpiece of a potential trade. Shortstop Bryson Stott and pitchers Mick Able and Andrew Painter have been mentioned as the type of player Oakland would want in return for Chapman.
The cost could be worth it.
Chapman would be an immediate defensive upgrade (thank, Captain Obvious) over current incumbent Alec Bohm. He would also bring a bit of thunder to the Phillies lineup, Chapman has hit over 20-homers in three of his five big league seasons. His career high was 36-home runs and 91 RBI’s in 2019. He added 27 dingers and 72 RBI’s last season in Oakland.
Chapman has shown a decline in batting average and OBP over the past few seasons. However, that could chalked up to the chaos of playing in two pandemic seasons.
The Phillies will have some competition in the Matt Chapman sweepstakes however. The New York Yankees (surprise!) and the Seattle Mariners have been connected to Chapman. Seattle might be positioned the best to poach Chapman from Oakland. The M’s currently have the top farm system in baseball according to Baseball America.
