SAN DIEGO -- The Giants were hoping Matt Chapman would be ready to return from his abdominal strain this weekend, but the veteran third baseman is expected to be out longer than expected after continuing to feel discomfort while running.
“Unfortunately, we've been trying to push it to get me ready and trying to run at game speed, and the running has been something that just hasn't felt great,” Chapman said Saturday. “If I can't run the bases, and I can't run, it's going to be hard for me to help the team. That's kind of what we've determined right now.”
Chapman, who has been on the 10-day injured list since July 1, said he will be reevaluated by a team doctor before determining his next steps. He said he doesn’t believe the setback will force him to start from ground zero, as he felt he was progressing well while taking swings and doing other baseball activities.
“Honestly, I felt like I was getting close, and then we ramped up and tried to really put me in game situations, whether that's been running the bases or hitting off the Trajekt or pushing it with ground balls,” Chapman said. “Just been pushing it as much as we can, and it just hasn't been recovering and bouncing back to a spot where we feel like I can play. I can't come back and play my very first game already playing through pain again. Unfortunately, that's kind of where we've left it. I still don’t think it’s going to be anything major. We might just need to pump the brakes on it for a minute, let it calm down and then reevaluate.”
Chapman had been dealing with the abdominal issue since April, but he exacerbated the injury while fielding a chopper at Arizona on June 30, which forced him onto the IL the next day. His initial goal was to return after missing four weeks, but he said that timetable could potentially stretch to six or eight weeks depending on how he recovers.
The 33-year-old was batting .235 with a .692 OPS and seven home runs over 84 games prior to the injury.
“We’re just trying to figure out how we can get me in a spot where I can play every day and help the team finish the season strong,” Chapman said. “Because that’s my goal: to come back and play as many games as I can with these guys and finish strong.”
Casey Schmitt had been filling in for Chapman at third base earlier this month, but the 27-year-old infielder ended up tearing the meniscus in his left knee on Monday. Schmitt underwent surgery on Friday and is expected to spend the next six to eight weeks rehabbing, which will likely rule him out for the remainder of the season.
The injury cut short a breakout season for Schmitt, who batted .271 with a .784 OPS and a career-high 21 home runs over 98 games this year, but he should be poised to have a normal offseason and pick up where he left off in 2027.
“I think the biggest thing is that Casey should be proud of everything he did this season,” Chapman said. “Everybody’s always known how talented he is in the organization and how good of a player he is. He hadn’t put it together for a full season and maybe really shown that he’s an everyday player. But I talked to him and told him he should be proud because he solidified himself as an everyday player and somebody that this team needs and can count on.”