We asked AI to predict which team will sign Matt Chapman (& it lined up some high-profile contenders)

MLB infielder Matt Chapman's free agency has picked up heat since the new year, and several teams are rumored to be interested in signing the former Toronto Blue Jays star.

The 30-year-old former All-Star entered free agency at the end of the season and is now looking for a long-term deal in the MLB. While a host of teams have shown interest in Chapman, we asked AI (Bard) to predict his next destination.

It named the Chicago Cubs as the team most likely to sign him this winter. Among the top contenders, it also named the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.

Screenshot of AI response about Chapman's next destination

Matt Chapman was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 2014 MLB Draft and went on to make his major league debut for them in 2017, after spending over three years in the minors.

After four seasons, he was traded to the Blue Jays in March 2022 and signed a two-year contract to avoid salary arbitration. Chapman made the All-Stars once and won four Gold Glove awards. He also won two Platinum Glove and Fielding Bible awards.

Chapman batted .240 with 17 home runs for the Blue Jays last season and is now looking for a long-term contract. Several teams, including the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, have shown interest in him.

Among the contributing factors is that Chapman is looking for a long-term deal. While his offence at third base has been decent, his defensive qualities are not what they once were.

---

Could the SF Giants' connections with Matt Chapman help them land the third baseman?

While several teams in the MLB are looking to add a proven third baseman to their roster before the start of Spring Training, the San Francisco Giants could have an upper hand in the race for Matt Chapman.

It's worth noting that Chapman spent most of his MLB career with the Oakland Athletics. Giants president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi, worked in Oakland at that time. New SF captain Bob Melvin was the Athletics manager, while third base coach Matt Williams also worked with Chapman during that time.

Those connections could see Chapman head over to the Giants.