Blue Jays acquire 3B Matt Chapman from Oakland for 4 players

TORONTO (AP) — All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays from the payroll-shredding Oakland Athletics for four players on Wednesday.

A five-year veteran and three-time Gold Glove winner, Chapman hit .201 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs in 151 games for the Athletics last season. He was a first-time All-Star in 2019.

Since the end of the lockout, the A’s also dealt All-Star righty Chris Bassitt to the New York Mets and first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta. The three trades cut Oakland’s projected payroll by about $30 million.

Oakland received right-hander Gunnar Hoglund, Toronto’s top pick in the 2021 amateur draft, minor league left-hander Zach Logue, left-handed reliever Kirby Snead, and infielder Kevin Smith.

Chapman is eligible for arbitration this season and next. He earned $6.54 million in 2021, including a $50,000 bonus for Gold Glove.

Chapman is the latest addition in a busy offseason for the Blue Jays, who went 91-71 last year but finished one game behind Boston and New York in the AL wild-card race. Toronto also signed right-hander Kevin Gausman, left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, and right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia.

The Blue Jays have had success in the past with former Oakland infielders. Josh Donaldson won the 2015 AL MVP award after being acquired from the Athletics the previous offseason, while Marcus Semien starred for Toronto last year before signing with Texas.

After choosing college over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2018 amateur draft, Hoglund went 10-5 in three seasons at Mississippi before signing with Toronto last summer. He had elbow ligament replacement surgery in May 2021 and has not pitched as a professional.

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