WATCH: Matt Chapman's dog steals the show with impressive fetching skills during Phillies infield practice
Third baseman Matt Chapman and his dog, Harley, grabbed the spotlight during the warmup hours of the Philadelphia Phillies' game against the San Francisco Giants in the afternoon. The dog all of a sudden ran into the ballpark to get involved with the baseball action.
Upon realizing it, Matt caught up with his hound and held him up so that the Phillies' practice didn't get affected. However, it seems the dog was very fidgety and wanted to be on the field. This led Chapman to throw the ball near the dugout and ask his dog to fetch it. He wagged his tail and made a run for it.
The entire adorable moment was captured and shared by NBC Sports on social media:
Interestingly, Harley was at the park back in April as well. Both Chapman and his wife Taylor might have adopted him sometime last year.
Chapman is batting .237 in 56 games this season, with eight home runs, 27 RBI, five stolen bases, a .722 OPS and 2.7 WAR. The two-time Platinum Glove Award winner leads the National League with 1.0 defensive WAR.
Matt Chapman happy to sign with Giants, says had some "unfinished business."
Matt Chapman was another one of Scott Boras's clients who couldn't get the expected long-term deal, resulting in his signing a lucrative short-term deal with an opt-out. He eventually signed with the Giants on a three-year deal worth $54 million.
"It just seemed like it was destiny," Chapman said per CBS Sports. "I think we've got some unfinished business."
Before arriving in the Bay Area, Chapman started with the Oakland Athletics in 2017 and stayed there till 2021. Then he played two seasons and became a free agent last offseason, hoping to sign a long-term deal. That couldn't happen, but Chapman did sign a lucrative deal.
"I felt like we had something really special building with the A's — unfortunately that got kind of ripped out of our hands," Chapman said. "Getting to come back, be in an organization like the Giants, a team that's not afraid to spend, go get free agents, keep guys together and keep adding. All the things you expect a winning franchise to do."
In March, Matt Chapman signed a three-year, $54 million deal with an opt-out clause after the first year. He will receive $18 million this season, after which he can exercise his player option. For the 2027 season, there is a mutual option clause in the deal.