A’s third baseman Matt Chapman thrilled to be back on field

Matt Chapman lunged to his right for a diving stop on a sharp grounder by Kurt Suzuki, leapt to his feet and fired a one-hopper to first in plenty of time for the out.

Chapman returned to his familiar spot at third base for the Oakland Athletics on Friday for the first time in nearly six months, and playing the hot corner again sure felt right for the two-time Platinum Glove winner.

The 27-year-old Chapman played in only 37 games during the pandemic-shortened 60-game 2020 season because of a right hip injury that required surgery in September.

So it’s easy to understand why the slick fielder felt so happy — not to mention reassured — getting back out there and doing his thing with confidence in the A’s 7-3 loss to the AL West rival Angels in Mesa, Arizona.

“My hip didn’t bother me,” he said. “Going to make that play, I didn’t really think about anything, just make that play, got up, made the throw. It’s nice to kind of test it, see where it’s at.”

He received a $6.49 million, one-year contract in January to avoid arbitration — a big raise after he earned $230,926 in prorated pay of his $623,500 salary last year.

Chapman had 10 homers and 25 RBIs while batting .232 before the injury. He missed Oakland’s third straight playoff berth that ended with a loss by the AL West champions to the rival Houston Astros in a four-game Division Series.

Of that terrific play in the top of the second inning Friday, starting pitcher James Kaprielian said, “Stuff like that gives me the chills.”

It certainly showed Chapman he is back and ready to go — and planning for a healthy, full season this time.

“For me, the most reassuring thing is to just go out there and make a diving play like that and pop up and make the play and nothing hurt,” he said. “It just felt like it was routine and normal and able to go make those plays and not have any sort of pain. So it gives me confidence and it’s reassuring going forward that I’m going to be able to make those plays and not have anything lingering.”

Ohtani shines for Angels

Shohei Ohtani figured he’d be careful in his return to the mound after two injury-spoiled seasons.

A few batters in, the Los Angeles Angels’ two-way sensation reached back for a little extra — and brought back some of the buzz that surrounded his major league debut three years ago.

Ohtani reached 100 mph with his fastball and showed off his signature splitter while striking out five over 1⅔ innings in the Angels’ win over the A’s on Friday. The right-hander allowed a run, three hits and two walks, struggling to command his slider but showcasing the arm strength and stuff that allowed him to dominate in the majors before Tommy John surgery in 2018.

“Since this was my first game, I wasn’t planning on letting it go in the beginning, especially early in counts,” Ohtani said via translator. “As the game went on, I felt better and I started throwing harder, but I think that led to me cutting the ball a couple times, so it’s something I have to work on.”

The 26-year-old Japanese star stunned baseball with his two-way ability as a rookie in 2018, going 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA in 10 starts and hitting .285 with 22 homers as a designated hitter. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during the season, though, and had Tommy John surgery that October.

Ohtani stayed off the mound in 2019 yet thrived as a full-time designated hitter. But he faltered on both sides of the ball trying to resume his two-way role during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He struggled in two starts on the mound and put his pitching on hold amid a right forearm/elbow strain. He slumped at the plate, too, hitting .190 with seven homers.

The 2018 AL Rookie of the Year is off to a strong start this spring on both sides. He crushed a 468-foot homer over the batter’s eye at Tempe Diablo Stadium in a game Wednesday, then showed improved mechanics on the mound Friday.

“It really starts with his delivery, I think it’s more clean and consistent,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I like his arm stroke better. It starts there and then he’s able to recapture the velocity he’s had in the past, and the really good break of his splitter. The big thing for his success is going to be repetition of delivery and knowing where his fastball is going consistently.”