Why Chapman believes game-winning play vs. Mets is ‘underrated’

Why Chapman believes game-winning play vs. Mets is ‘underrated’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Walk-off home runs generally get all the attention, but Giants third baseman Matt Chapman believes his game-ending defensive heroics deserve more shine.

Specifically, the incredible play Chapman made to secure San Francisco’s thrilling 8-7 win over the New York Mets on May 24 last year.

Bottom of the ninth inning, bases loaded, two outs with a full count? That’s about as high-leverage of a situation as you could ask for, which is why it ranks among Chapman’s favorite plays of his MLB career, which includes two Platinum Glove Awards and five Gold Glove Awards.

“I think the play is underrated,” Chapman told KNBR’s Markus Boucher and Brian Murphy. “Based off the situation and the play, yeah I think so. I mean, I’ve made some plays that probably look harder, but the situation … to win the game, Probably would have lost the game if LaMonte [Wade Jr.] didn’t pick the ball.

“I don’t even know if it made it into the top-20 plays of the season last year. It’s all rigged. It’s all rigged, it’s all MLB picking their favorite — like somebody caught a fly ball and it was like five.

“That wouldn’t be that play if he didn’t dig it. I was like, ‘We’re either winning this game or losing it, I don’t care.’ “

The heroics from Chapman and Wade helped the Giants secure one of their most thrilling wins of the 2024 MLB season, sparked by Patrick Bailey’s clutch eighth-inning go-ahead grand slam.

Despite the Giants not finishing the 2024 season among MLB’s elite teams, Chapman’s incredible play deserves its flowers. As San Francisco seeks a bounce-back campaign in 2025, Chapman will look to add to his already stellar catalouge of defensive gems.

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