Giants' Matt Chapman Frustrated Over Poor Start, Base Running Gaffe

Veteran third baseman takes responsibility for mistakes as Giants struggle to 3-7 record

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:03am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in shades of orange, blue, and green, depicting the chaotic energy and overlapping perspectives of a baseball game or match, conveying the frustrations of the Giants' poor start to the season.A cubist interpretation of the frustrations and miscues plaguing the struggling San Francisco Giants and veteran third baseman Matt Chapman.NYC Today

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman has had a tough start to the 2026 season, making uncharacteristic errors and a base running mistake in a recent loss to the New York Mets. Chapman took responsibility for his actions, acknowledging his poor decisions, as the Giants have stumbled to the worst record in the National League so far.

Why it matters

The Giants' struggles, including being outscored 24-5 in their final three losses to the Mets at home, have put the team in an early hole. As a respected veteran leader, Chapman's accountability and willingness to address the team's issues head-on could help galvanize the club and get them back on track.

The details

In the ninth inning of Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Mets, Chapman made a base running mistake, getting thrown out trying to steal second base despite the team trailing by three runs. Chapman took full responsibility, saying 'I just made a bad decision there.' The play came after Chapman had already committed three errors in the past five games, uncharacteristic for the Gold Glove third baseman. Giants manager Tony Vitello revealed there have been three similar incidents of players 'letting loose' and speaking up, which he believes has helped bring the team closer together.

  • On April 6, 2026, the Giants lost 5-2 to the Mets.
  • In the ninth inning of that game, Matt Chapman made a base running mistake that resulted in him being thrown out trying to steal second base.

The players

Matt Chapman

A veteran third baseman and leader in the Giants clubhouse, Chapman has had a tough start to the 2026 season, making uncharacteristic errors and a base running mistake in a recent loss to the Mets.

Tony Vitello

The manager of the San Francisco Giants, Vitello revealed there have been three similar incidents of players 'letting loose' and speaking up, which he believes has helped bring the team closer together.

Devin Williams

The New York Mets closer who was pitching when Chapman made his base running mistake in the ninth inning.

Casey Schmitt

A Giants player who was involved in a finger-pointing back-and-forth with Chapman that was captured on camera in San Diego.

Francisco Lindor

The New York Mets shortstop who tagged out Matt Chapman when he was caught stealing second base.

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What they’re saying

“If I could do it over again, I would not elect to steal that base. I was paying attention. I just kind of made a bad decision there. If he was long to the plate and I steal second base, then maybe we're not talking about it, but I did and I got thrown out and it looks really ugly, on top of how things went yesterday and kind of transpired toward the end of the game.”

— Matt Chapman, Giants Third Baseman

“I just picked a really bad time to do it. Because he was really slow to the plate, and then when I stole, he sped up a bit and that looks really bad when you get thrown out making an out at second base, killing our rally. … I know that's completely my fault.”

— Matt Chapman, Giants Third Baseman

“Yeah, it doesn't look great when things like that happen and things get sloppy. But it's not something that this team is thinking about or I'm thinking about. It's just something that happened and we've moved on.”

— Matt Chapman, Giants Third Baseman

“I think our best games have come when our guys have let loose a little bit – and coaches too – said what they think, do what they think is the right thing in the moment and go out there and just play. As opposed to being a little too careful. I'd rather those moments come up than not.”

— Tony Vitello, Giants Manager

What’s next

The Giants will look to bounce back from their poor start when they face the Mets again on Tuesday night.

The takeaway

This early-season struggle for the Giants and Matt Chapman highlights the importance of veteran leadership and accountability, even in the face of mistakes. Chapman's willingness to own up to his errors could help galvanize the team and get them back on track as they look to turn things around.