San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants got an early start on their planning for 2025 and beyond by agreeing to a long-term contract extension with third baseman Matt Chapman.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Chapman will sign a six-year, $151 million deal with the Giants that will keep him under contract through the 2030 season.

This is a deal that provides security for both sides. The Giants keep one of the best third basemen in Major League Baseball under contract for the remainder of his prime years at a reasonable salary for a player of his caliber.

Chapman secures the long-term deal he has been seeking and avoids going through the uncertainty of free agency for a second consecutive offseason.

Despite being arguably the best position player available last winter—Shohei Ohtani is in his own category—Chapman went unsigned until March. He ultimately landed a three-year, $54 million deal from the Giants that included player options after each of the first two years.

That contract also included a mutual option for 2027 that would have pushed the total value to $73 million over four years.

This new deal guarantees Chapman more than twice as much money as he would have earned had he played out the original contract.

Perhaps due to the extended offseason wait, Chapman got off to a slow start this season. He was hitting .205/.255/.331 in 161 plate appearances through May 10.

In 97 games since May 11, Chapman has a .265/.364/.493 slash line with 18 homers. His defense at third base remains stellar, ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average.

Chapman's 4.4 FanGraphs' wins above replacement ranks second among all third baseman, behind only Cleveland Guardians star José Ramírez (5.5).

The Giants still have a lot of work to do in the offseason if they want to build a playoff contender in the NL West. They are on track to finish .500 or worse for the third consecutive season with a 68-72 record entering play on Thursday.

But locking in Chapman now leaves the Giants with one less position they have to worry about as they start planning for free agency this winter.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell pushed back on the criticism his agent, Scott Boras, received from former client Jordan Montgomery.

"My experience with Scott has been great," Snell said Sunday, per The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly. "He told me everything that was happening, all the offers I got. So for him to just get bashed for what I believe is false, that's not fair at all. I really strongly believe that."

Montgomery reportedly dropped Boras in April after signing a one-year, $25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which much less than many expected him to get. The southpaw contended his the veteran agent had "kind of butchered" his offseason negotiations.

Snell spoke matter-of-factly when it came to Montgomery's situation.

"I've seen how (Montgomery) struggled, but he signed the deal that he ultimately wanted to sign," he said. "He has the choice. I don't know what other deals he was offered, but I know everything that was offered to me. It's just sad that he thinks that way when I see Scott as a very honorable man."

Perhaps not signing with a team until late March has played a role in Montgomery's performance, but he has so far vindicated the teams who seemingly balked at his asking price.

The 31-year-old is 8-6 but sports a 6.44 ERA. His 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings are a career low, while he's allowing his second-most hits (11.7 per nine innings). He allowed six earned runs over 5.2 innings in his last start, a 10-8 win over the Miami Marlins, and Arizona has moved him to the bullpen.

Snell's defense of Boras is understandable given their continued working relationship, but Montgomery's comments were part of a larger narrative around the legendary agent. Snell, Montgomery, Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman were all Boras clients this winter, and all four wound up signing for below their market projections. Maybe the 71-year-old is finally losing the magic touch.

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer laid out how other factors were at play that helped explain why he couldn't get his clients better contracts. His four stars all had underlying questions over their value moving forward, and the turmoil over the regional sports network model has resulted in teams having less money to spend.

Thanks to Snell, Boras may have an opportunity to answer his critics in a few months.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner can opt out after the 2024 season, an outcome that looks increasingly likely as he has gotten better on the mound. Since returning from a groin injury in July, he has a 1.30 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 55.1 innings.

Those who gazed at the night sky on Monday were treated to the rare occurrence of the blue supermoon, which was captured in a beautiful photo at Oracle Park during a game between the San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox.

NASA explained the phenomenon of the blue supermoon:

San Francisco residents had some incredible views of the spectacle:

In addition to watching the blue supermoon, fans in San Francisco got to watch the Giants pick up a 5-3 win over the White Sox, their third victory in their last four games. At 64-63, the Giants rank fourth in the NL West but sit just 3.5 games back from the final wild-card spot in the National League.

Matt Chapman is reportedly leaning towards free agency this offseason.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the San Francisco Giants third baseman is expected to opt out of his contract following the end of the season, which would make him a free agent, though it's likely he would remain with the Giants.

"Giants third baseman Matt Chapman is expected to opt out of his contract after the season, knowing that he can earn more on the open market than $17 million in 2025, $18 million in 2026, with a mutual $20 million option in 2027," Nightengale wrote. "Chapman is having his best full season since 2019 and wants to stay in San Francisco, with the Giants expected to talk to him about an extension."

Chapman has put together his best season since 2019, when he was named an All-Star while playing for the Oakland Athletics. He has 19 homers, 61 RBI and a .245 batting average, also picking up a career-high 12 stolen bases.

He recently hinted at his desire to remain with San Francisco but said he's "waiting on them."

"That's not really my focus right now; my focus is on trying to make the playoffs," Chapman said, per the Mercury News' Evan Webeck. "But the Giants, I love being here and they know that I want to be here. They know that I'm open to that. I'm kind of just waiting on them."

Chapman agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract with the Giants in March, but the deal gives him player options for 2025 and 2026 as well as a mutual option for $20 million in 2027.

Should Chapman hit free agency, he'd likely only do so to raise his value and get more guaranteed money than the $16 million guaranteed he got with his recent deal.

For now, he'll look to help the Giants in their quest to reach the postseason. San Francisco sits just four games back from a wild-card spot at 63-63 on the year, and a strong finish could the Giants reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

The third no-hitter of the MLB season occurred Friday night.

San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell tabbed his first career-no hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in a 3-0 victory. The reigning Cy Young Award winner tossed 114 pitches, walking just three batters and striking out 11 on the way to the historic feat.

Snell's no-hitter marks the 18th in Giants history.

After the big night from Snell, fans praised the star for another feat added to his impressive list of accomplishments.

Snell joins Ronel Blanco of the Houston Astros and Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres as the only pitchers to throw no-hitters this season, but as pitchers find their groove down the stretch, we could see a few more before the end of the year.

There's no denying Snell has struggled this season after his Cy Young Award-winning year in 2023. The veteran has 72 strikeouts, a 4.29 ERA and a 1-3 record in 11 starts. His slow start had teams interested in trading for him at the deadline, but the Giants ultimately stuck with him, and it seems it could pay off.

Snell is historically a better pitcher in the second half of the season, and all signs are pointing to him finishing out the year strong. Snell has allowed just two runs in his last five starts while recording 41 strikeouts, and the momentum from pitching a no-no could mean another big outing in his next start.

The New York Yankees are reportedly among six teams that have expressed interest in trading for San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Snell's trade status is "complicated" as the Giants decide how to handle the deadline. Snell has been stellar since returning to the rotation July 9, giving up just two runs over 24 innings pitched.

Heyman later reported that the Chicago Cubs are also among the teams that have checked in on Snell.

The turnaround has been a welcome change for the Giants, who saw their prized offseason pitching acquisition falter early in his tenure. Snell was one of the worst pitchers in baseball over his first six starts, going 0-3 with a 9.51 ERA before suffering a groin strain in June that sidelined him for a month.

That injury proved to be the best thing for Snell, as it allowed him to take a breath after a frustrating offseason saw him have to settle for a two-year, $62 million contract with the Giants. Most expected the 2023 Cy Young winner to easily land a contract into the nine-figure mark.

Snell had his best performance as a Giant on Saturday, striking out 15 batters in six innings against the Colorado Rockies.

"He's always been kind of a second-half guy," Giants manager Bob Melvin said. "Last year, when he went on a run like this, not only was it similar to this type of stuff every night that he was either giving up no runs or one run, he was able to pitch out of jams. He was able to get a strikeout with a man on third. It's kind of his forte."

The Yankees were among the teams linked to Snell during the offseason but ultimately bowed out of the running. New York could have more interest now that Snell's contract is more palatable, even if it would mean adding to the franchise's luxury tax bill.

The Yankees could use some help in their starting rotation, as four of their five regular starters have an ERA over 4. Included in those starters struggling is ace Gerrit Cole, who has not found his rhythm since returning to the rotation last month.

A handful of teams are reportedly eyeing San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell.

Per the New York Post's Jon Heyman, Snell has gotten interest from five teams, though Heyman did not mention which teams are interested.

Snell has had a rough showing so far in 2024 with 46 strikeouts, a 5.83 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP on his way to an 0-3 record in nine starts. Snell has had an injury-filled season thus far, missing games due to a variety of ailments.

But as Heyman noted, Snell has been known to shake off slow starts to finish the year strong, and that's likely something that teams are keeping in mind in trade discussions. The lefty is coming off a season in which he had 234 strikeouts and a 2.25 ERA on his way to a second Cy Young Award, and once he finds his groove he could return to that form.

Along with Snell, other plays are reportedly available at the deadline for San Francisco. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that outfielders Michael Conforto and Wilmer Flores along with first baseman/designated hitter Mike Yastrzemski "at least to some extent are available," so a few Giants could be on the move before Tuesday.

San Francisco is just a few games back from the final NL Wild Card spot, so it'll be interesting to see what moves are made at the deadline—if any.

Barry Bonds merchandise remains in high demand.

TMZ Sports reported that two game-used items from the seven-time MVP were up for auction last week and sold for a combined total of $245,220. This included a jersey he wore for Games 3, 4 and 5 of the 2002 World Series as well as a bat he used in the 2001 season.

The jersey sold for $158,600, which makes it the most expensive Bonds item ever sold at an auction. The bat, which was used to hit his 60th home run during the 2001 season, fetched $86,620.

Bonds is one of the greatest to ever grace the baseball diamond. He is the current leader in all-time home runs with 762, and also earned 14 All-Star selections, 12 Silver Slugger awards, eight Gold Glove Awards and won two batting titles.

His 2001 season saw him hit .328/.515/.863 with 73 home runs and 137 RBIs. His home run total set the single-season record that still stands today and he took home his fourth MVP Award in that season.

His San Francisco Giants were unable to claim a World Series victory in 2002, but Bonds' play was certainly worthy of a title. He hit .471/.700/1.294 with four home runs and six RBIs during the seven-game series.

While he still is waiting on a Hall of Fame induction, his memorabilia remains in very valuable and a new bar has been set for its monetary value.

The San Francisco Giants held a public Celebration of Life in honor of legendary Hall of Famer outfielder Willie Mays on Monday.

Former Giants manager Dusty Baker, Giants legend Barry Bonds, ex-San Francisco ace pitcher Juan Marichal and former President Bill Clinton were among those who celebrated Mays. Former United States President Barack Obama also delivered a video message.

Janie McCauley of the Associated Press listed others in attendance.

"Some others in attendance were former President Bill Clinton -- a dear friend of Mays -- Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, executive and former manager and player Joe Torre, Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson and Juan Marichal and retired managers Dusty Baker and Felipe Alou. Former Giants owner Bob Lurie, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and former Mayor Willie Brown, and retired longtime National Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson also attended the memorial."

Baker and Bonds' comments can be found below.

Mays' son, Michael, also provided poignant words.

Clinton appeared and spoke on Mays' legacy.

Considered the consummate five-tool player, Mays is considered by some to be the best ballplayer who ever lived. The Say Hey Kid also earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 from President Obama:

Mays also served in the United States Army in Fort Eustis in Virginia from 1952-1954 after being drafted during the Korean War. The Army honored Mays during the ceremony.

Mays was a two-time MVP, 24-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove Award winner who also led the Giants to the 1954 World Series title. His 660 home runs rank sixth all time, and he is also just one of eight players to score 2,000 or more runs.

Willie Mays merchandise is in high demand.

TMZ Sports reported that an autographed jersey that Mays wore during the 1969 MLB All-Star Game will be auctioned off by Heritage Auctions on July 26 and is expected to sell for more than $400,000.

Mays passed away June 18 at 93-years-old. He is one of the most decorated player in MLB history, with 24 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Gloves, two MVP Awards and an enshrinement at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

He played 23 MLB seasons, hitting .301/.384//557 with 3,293 hits, 660 home runs and 1,909 RBIs. He is just one of just four players with 3,000 hits and 600 home runs in a career and also won the 1954 World Series with the then-New York Giants.

He hit .283/.362/.437 during the 1969 season and added 13 home runs and 58 RBIs in 117 games. He was a reserve in the 1969 All-Star Game and had one at-bat in the game, recording an out. The game took place at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington D.C, which is a venue that will be demolished in the near future.

As fans prepare for the 2024 MLB All-Star, a relic from a past game that honor's a league legend could be something to look for.