A's Third Baseman Matt Chapman Earns Big Raise
OAKLAND (AP) — Slick-fielding third baseman Matt Chapman reached agreement Friday on a guaranteed $6.49 million, one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics to avoid arbitration, and the club also secured deals with its five other arbitration-eligible players.
Chapman earned a hefty raise after making $230,926 in prorated pay of his $623,500 salary in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.
The two-time Gold Glove winner's year was cut short by a season-ending hip injury in September — a big blow for Oakland. He was limited to 37 games before undergoing surgery on his right hip. The 27-year-old Chapman had 10 homers and 25 RBIs batting .232 before the injury.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt reached agreement on a $4.9 million contract, left-hander Sean Manaea will earn $5.95 million guaranteed, outfielder Mark Canha $6,925,000, right-hander Frankie Montas $1.8 million and Lou Trivino $912,500 guaranteed.
Bassitt emerged as Oakland's ace as the Athletics won the AL West and their wild-card playoff round before losing in four games to rival Houston in the AL Division Series. He went 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA and 55 strikeouts. Bassitt had a 2020 salary of $2.25 million that was prorated to $833,333 over the condensed 60-game schedule.
Canha batted .246 with five homers, 12 doubles, two triples and 33 RBIs while playing 59 games and five different positions — 21 at designated hitter, 17 in right field, 15 in left, nine in center and three at first base. Canha, 31, had been set to earn $4.8 million last season but his prorated salary wound up at $1,777,778.
