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ATLANTA — Matt Chapman hasn’t considered waiving his no-trade clause, the Giants third baseman told The California Post, because president of baseball operations Buster Posey hasn’t approached him about it.

“I haven’t heard anything from Buster,” Chapman told the Post before the Giants kicked off a three-game series against the Braves. “So it hasn’t really crossed my mind.”

SF Giants star Matt Chapman is considered by many to be a trade candidate ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline. MLB Photos via Getty Images

It’s possible that could change before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

The Giants, 14 games below .500, are reportedly open for business, and Chapman’s strong play of late could make him attractive for a contender seeking an upgrade at the hot corner.

According to reports Tuesday from Buster Olney of ESPN and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, San Francisco has begun to listen to offers for Chapman as well as its other two underperforming infielders signed to long-term contracts, Rafael Devers and Willy Adames.

For Chapman to go anywhere, he would have to waive the full-trade clause that was included in the six-year, $151 million extension he signed after the 2023 season. It was reportedly one of the sticking points that held up negotiations with then-PBO Farhan Zaidi, which Posey pushed across the finish line before assuming the top baseball ops job a few months later.

At the time, Chapman was signing up to play for Bob Melvin, his longtime manager from their time together with the A’s. The circumstances are different now, with Posey choosing to replace Melvin with rookie skipper Tony Vitello from the college ranks.

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Chapman said that doesn’t change his calculation.

“There’s still a ton of good people in this clubhouse,” he said.

Chapman is hitting .261 with 7 homeruns and 39 RBI’s this season. Getty Images

Chapman has been to the postseason four times in his career but not since his last season with the Blue Jays in 2023. That dryspell doesn’t appear to change this season, at least if he remains in a Giants uniform. San Francisco’s playoff odds, according to FanGraphs, had fallen to 2.5% entering Tuesday.

But that doesn’t change Chapman’s thinking, either.

“There’s something in this clubhouse,” he said. “I know we haven’t put it all together yet, but I still believe in this team.”

Vitello looks to be managing a seller in his first year navigating a major-league trade deadline. But, like Chapman, he said he hasn’t heard that from Posey and the decision-makers in the front office.

“I haven’t been directed that that’s the case at all,” Vitello said, acknowledging he had heard that some feelers had been exchanged. “What actually happens after the discussions is probably a much more narrow focus. But it probably makes sense for the Braves, the Giants, whatever other team you want to throw out there … to be open to any conversations this time of year.”

As a rookie manager, this is the first time Tony Vitello is going through an MLB trade deadline. Getty Images

It should come as no surprise that the Giants, behind every team besides the Rockies in the National League, would be looking to try to acquire future assets for players on short-term deals, such as Robbie Ray and Luis Arraez.

Getting off the big contracts of Chapman, Adames and Devers may be prudent, too, but it would represent a waiving of the white flag of sorts from Posey on his tentpole moves.

Between Chapman’s extension, the free-agent contract awarded to Adames that broke Posey’s franchise record and the trade for Devers, who was owed almost a hundred million more, Posey committed more than half a billion dollars to three players who were supposed to represent the core that carried the Giants back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Now, Chapman’s contract looks to be the only one palatable enough to attract any interest. With his recent rebound at the plate — six home runs and a 1.421 OPS in June — and his usual superb defense, he’s been the Giants’ most valuable player by bWAR (3.2).

Adames and Devers, on the other hand, are two of 16 qualified hitters who have generated zero or negative value, according to FanGraphs’ calculation. 

The shortstop, owed another $140 million through 2031, has a .274 on-base percentage and has been the worst defender at his position, with negative-13 Outs Above Average.

SF Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey is expected to have a very busy MLB trade deadline. Getty Images

The slugger supposed to be their biggest threat since Barry Bonds, owed another $158.5 million through 2033 plus another $75 million in deferred payments, is mired in a June swoon after seeming to come out of his early season funk with a strong month of May.

He is walking at his lowest rate since 2020 and striking out at a career-high 30.3% clip.

Yet, in some respects, Chapman’s contract could be the hardest to move.

Because he gave himself a say in the process.

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