After locking up Khris Davis on a three-year extension in April, the Athletics have continued to look into long-term deals with some of their key players. The A’s have approached Marcus Semien on multiple occasions about an extension, though Semien tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that there haven’t been any recent talks between the two sides. Beyond Semien, Slusser notes that the A’s have also explored multi-year contracts with Matt Chapman and Matt Olson.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Oakland’s interest in keeping any of these players, and it seems likely that negotiations will continue on an on-and-off basis for some time to come. Both Chapman and Olson are controlled through the 2023 season, and while Semien can be a free agent after the 2020 season, it could be that talks with the shortstop simply paused once the season began, as most players prefer to save contractual business for the offseason.
Both Chapman and his agent, Scott Boras, recently discussed the possibility of an extension with Slusser in separate editions of the “A’s Plus” podcast. Boras, as you might expect, took a slightly more bottom-line approach, noting that discussions with the A’s carry something of an extra hurdle. “Oakland is in a place where they have a lot of promise that requires definition, that requires sureties that they’re going to have a stadium,” Boras said. Nonetheless, the agent also said that “We keep our ears open and listen and talk to ownership regularly about” a long-term deal between Chapman and the team.
For his part, Chapman wants a deal that “has to be fair for both sides,” though he reiterated his desire to remain in Oakland over the long term. “I do want to be a part of this team and I would love to be extended and play a long time….Hopefully, we can get something done,” the third baseman said.
The Davis contract represented Oakland’s first extension in quite some time, as the team focused on something of a rebuild on the fly to amass a new group of talent. After the 2017 season, however, Billy Beane said the A’s would now start to look at identifying and then extending the true core members of the roster going forward.
Chapman may say he wants to stay in Oakland but with Boras as his agent it’s hard to imagine he’s going to take an extension that isn’t an overpay.
Chapman has a few factors working against him right now. Right now it’s this rough stretch he’s going through. If he’s going to end up a .250 hitter with excellent defense going into his age 31 season, he may not get the kind of contract many are expecting him to get. That said, he’s still only in his second full year, and could very easily turn all of that around. We’ve all seen the potential to both hit for average and power, we know about his speed and his defense, now he just needs to put it all together and prove he can stay healthy.
More than anything the A’s want to make sure they extend guys that can prove the test of time. If he starts getting hurt (no bad luck injuries) then they may have to find a new third baseman. That’s just smart baseball.
He may be a .250 hitter with excellent defense but the kid has power. I could see him consistently hitting around 25 homers a year for the next 5-6 years.
What’s the rush? Let’s see how he holds up for 2 more years. Guaranteed money on the wrong side of 30?
Bad juju…..
So Donaldson 2.0?
Not quite yet. Donaldson was a better hitter than Chapman was, but he was also older. Chapman could end up having a longer career because he didn’t play half of it in the minors as a catcher.
I mean, by an overpay you mean more than he would get from the top bidder on the open market? Like supply and demand? I think that’s what he means by something that’s fair for both sides. He would get paid like he did if he went to free agency.
Every Athletic supporter should get an extension.
When are they going to extend that top round pick from a year or so again – Murray? Doh! That’s right, he’s a football player!!!
When are the Astros going to extend those 2 first overall picks they got along with Correa? Doh! That’s right, they both flared out!!!
You’re so original, I thought I’d also try to be original. Hope I did okay.
Aiken being a bust was the best thing that could happen for the Astros
Doesn’t change that the Astros had 3 #1 overall picks and 2 of them ended up being busts. Every team has those moments.
statman time to grow up and give it a rest. The horse is dead quit beating it.
Kinda hard to let Semien go. He’s really grown on me, and probably most A’s fans, during his tenure here. He proved that hard work can go a long way, even in baseball. It’s not all about talent.
Chapman and Olson we can worry about in a couple of years. The team’s performance has to entice them to stay, so right now that’s where the focus should be. Getting our young arms up and taking stock, then making the next move.
Chapman will be traded by 2022, book it!. I see olson signing because 1b market isnt outrageous and hes not quite a star type player, so he’s affordable for A’s. If A’s didnt have jorge mateo ready to go, theyd show more urgency to sign semien. History shows theyll go with the younger and cheaper option at SS
Olson is already breaking down. He should sign an extension quick! But it shouldn’t guarantee any money on the wrong side of 30. Bad juju…..
Olson has more chance to get actual money on the right side of 30 than Chapman, but he’s only about a year younger.
How many times do you think he has been injured? He’s played a whole lot this year and last after that freak hand injury in Japan.
“Olson is already breaking down.” – explain?
Dude, he got hit by a pitch.
Don’t worry folks, they’ll extend all their guys as soon as the new stadium gets built – after all that’s what Beane says – and he’s the guys who picked the football player with the 9th overall pick! And don’t anyone worry that the stadium site is full of toxic waste – those are minor issues everyone, that’s what Beane says!
China Basin had the same issues. Worked out pretty well for the Giants.
And Billy Beane doesn’t speak on stadium issues, so that’s a swing and a miss.
The Murray fiasco is ALL on Murray. Dishonest from the get-go. If he’d told them what he told the world when he announced (ie born to be a QB) they wouldn’t have drafted him. End of story.
I’d rather take Kyler Murray with the 9th pick than Mark Appel with #1.
I clicked on this article thinking it was the extension for their stadium. last I heard the A’s are going to Las Vegas.
Uh, literally no one that isn’t just wildly speculating has said that.
You aren’t listening to anyone from the team.
Could play in Las Vegas until a stadium is built. Raiders and Vegas would certainly welcome it. $$$
Of course, Oakland would be pissed.
oco lease extension?
The chances are slim. Theres plans to term down the Rio casino. Which is there the Potential stadium would go. They can move there 2021 and play at the Raiders stadium in Vegas still its built.
Davis was a two year extension. He already signed for this year.
Interesting to see the A’s trying to lock people up. It looks like they want to lock people up this time rather than ask them for extension and trade them if they refuse to sign. Hoping this is all to gear up for a new stadium.