A’s star third baseman Matt Chapman cleared for 2021, Scott Boras says

Scott Boras’ virtual Winter Meetings new conference Tuesday mostly was a long list of wild dad jokes that deserved million-dollar slow claps, and earned a few chuckles from reporters tuning in on Zoom. It also provided a medical update on A’s star third baseman Matt Chapman. 

Boras said doctors have cleared Chapman, whose 2020 season was cut short to hip surgery, and he will be healthy for next season. 

“He’s ready to go and working hard to be ready for 2021,” Boras said. 

Chapman’s season ended when he was pulled from the A’s loss to the San Diego Padres on Sept. 6 for what initially was diagnosed as right hip tendinitis. He had struck out 10 times in his final 11 at-bats. The two-time Platinum Glove Award winner then underwent surgery on Sept. 14, ending his season.

Chapman had a down season at the plate, batting just .232 with a .276 on-base percentage. Plenty of his struggles had to do with a high strikeout rate and low walk rate. He struck out 54 times in 37 games, as well 38 percent of his total at-bats. Chapman also walked only eight times, good for only 5.6 percent of his at-bats. 

But Chapman did display his power in his shortened season. He hit 10 home runs and had a career-best .535 slugging percentage. 

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When healthy, Chapman again was one of the best defensive players in baseball, too. 

The A’s finished the regular season 13-10 after Chapman’s injury. They beat the Chicago White Sox in the AL Wild Card Series, and then lost to the Houston Astros in the divisional round. Oakland is a much better team with Chapman on the field, and the A’s certainly expect a strong return from him next season.

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