What’s the Willie Mac Award? Matt Chapman takes home coveted honor

SAN FRANCISCO — Matt Chapman, in his first year with the Giants, was named the 2024 Willie Mac Award winner.

Voted on by players, coaches, training staff and fans, the Willie Mac is the most coveted team award the Giants annually present. Past winners include Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Brandon Crawford, J.T. Snow, Mike Krukow, and Matt Cain.

Named after Willie McCovey, the award started in 1980, making this the 44th anniversary of the honor bestowed on the most inspirational Giant.

“It means a lot,” Chapman told reporters pregame. “I think the more and more I learn about it, the more I see the significance of this award and how important it is to this organization. The fact that it’s voted on by people that I care about and they care about me like that, it’s pretty cool.”

Chapman, 31, has hit 27 home runs with three games remaining and ranks in the top 10 in the National League in wins above replacement. He has played 151 games, just about every night, and earned a six-year, $151 million contract extension with his steady two-way production. He leads the Giants in hits, doubles, homers, RBI, walks, runs, extra bases, total bases and games played.

One of the game’s best defenders, Chapman could very well win his fifth career Gold Glove award this season.

Chapman joins current Giants Thairo Estrada (2023), Wilmer Flores (2022), LaMonte Wade Jr. (2021), and Mike Yastrzesmki (2020) in the Willie Mac club. Yastrzemski and Wade stood on the field for the pregame ceremony, joining Snow, Marvin Bernard, Dave Dravecky and other former winners as McCovey’s family presented Chapman with the plaque.

“I know this season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we’re building here and we’re going to finish strong,” Chapman said after accepting the award. “And next year, we’re going to start something and we’re not going to stop.”

This month has been particularly eventful for Chapman. He’s on a hot streak, having hit six home runs in 17 games, inching toward breaking the franchise’s 20-year drought of a 30-homer season. The Giants have played their best ball, albeit after they’d been eliminated from the postseason. He and his wife welcomed their first child and he inked the richest deal the Giants have handed out since Posey’s 2013 extension.

“It’s a cherry on top of a great month,” Chapman said. “Obviously it’d be better if we were going to the playoffs — that’s my goal and I’m going to work this offseason to make that possible next year. But besides not making the playoffs, it’s been a great month with my daughter and the contract and getting this award. I feel blessed.”