WEST SACRAMENTO – The Giants activated third baseman Matt Chapman off the injured list Saturday and, as expected, inserted him into the lineup right away as the cleanup hitter against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park.
Chapman might not be a savior for the sputtering Giants, who entered Saturday one game out of the National League’s third and final wild-card spot. But his play this season before he sprained his right hand last month – and how the Giants have performed since — suggested he would greatly benefit the team’s lineup.
“I can’t say enough good things about (Chapman) and just how bad he wants to be out on that field with his teammates,” Giants general manager Zack Minasian said on KNBR earlier this week. “It’s such a presence that he brings to the field every day. It’ll be a welcome addition.”
Before Saturday, the Giants were 37-28 with Chapman in the lineup as he was 10th among all big league third baseman in fielding percentage (.960). He also had a team-leading 2.7 WAR rating.
But how the Giants played without Chapman perhaps spoke even more to his value.
Since Chapman’s last game on June 8, when he hurt his hand against the Atlanta Braves diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt, the Giants, before Saturday, had gone 9-14, losing three-game sets to the below-.500 Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins.
Friday, starter Justin Verlander was roughed up, and the Giants made three errors in an 11-2 loss to the Athletics to open the three-game series, which concludes Sunday.
On June 8, the Giants were 38-28 and tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL Wild Card race. Before Saturday, they were a game behind the San Diego Padres for the third and final wild-card spot.
Notable
In a corresponding move Saturday, the Giants designated infielder Sergio Alcántara for assignment. In his Giants debut Friday, Alcántara went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. … The Giants also recalled Tristan Beck from Triple-A and optioned fellow right-hander Mason Black to the River Cats. Black pitched four innings Friday and allowed five hits, including two homers, and three earned runs.