Blue Jays' Chapman feels for 'loyal A's fans' with possible move to Vegas
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman is sympathetic to fans of the Oakland Athletics amid the club's uncertain future in the Bay Area.
"I feel bad for the loyal A's fans in Oakland," Chapman told Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. "They lost the Raiders. They lost the Warriors to San Francisco. There are a lot of good Oakland fans that have been loyal through the years, through all the stuff they have to deal with. I feel bad for them."
Chapman spent the first five seasons of his career in Oakland before he was dealt to the Blue Jays ahead of the 2022 season.
The 30-year-old expressed skepticism about the relocation news - "I've heard them do that dance for every year I was there" - but said he is hopeful that if the Athletics have a new stadium, it might allow the club to be more competitive on the field and in terms of payroll commitments.
"I'm hoping that means they'll be able to start signing guys long term and not have to do the same kind of business structure they do now, where they just kind of turn over (the roster as it gets expensive)," Chapman said.
The Athletics signed an agreement last week to purchase a piece of land in Las Vegas for a new stadium.
Chapman won three Gold Gloves and helped the Athletics qualify for the postseason three times during his stint in Oakland. Despite the on-field success, Chapman and his teammates knew the club's financial situation made it unlikely that they would have long careers with the A's.
"We had so many good players, but that's just the way it goes," Chapman said. "All of us knew we weren't going to be there long term."
The Athletics offered Chapman a 10-year, $150-million contract extension before the 2020 campaign - a deal Chapman never considered signing.
"First off, I wasn't going to take a discount to stay in Oakland, so I don't think they were going to pay me my full value," he said.
Chapman is off to a terrific start this season for the Blue Jays. He leads the American League with a .364 batting average and 1.105 OPS in 88 at-bats.