Davis, huge for A’s, lasts short time with Rangers

A’s manager Bob Melvin was a Khris Davis fan, never hesitant to speak highly of Oakland’s former designated hitter who provided extreme power in the middle of the lineup and a unique personality in the middle of the clubhouse.

“You can’t help but think how impactful he was here,” Melvin said Tuesday, “and how consistent he was here for several years.”

In his short time with the Rangers, Davis was neither impactful nor consistent. On Tuesday, he was designated for assignment after hitting .157 with two home runs in 22 games.

Melvin said the news surprised him. Davis is 33 and three years removed from leading the majors with 48 home runs. The A’s traded Davis to Texas in February along with Johan Heim and minorleaguer Dane Acker for shortstop Elvis Andrus, catcher Aramis Garcia and $13.5 million, which was to help pay down Andrus’ contract, running through 2022. Davis’ deal expires after this year.

“I know he didn’t have a ton of atbats this year, and he was on the IL a while,” said Melvin, referring to Davis’ quadriceps

strain that kept him off Texas’ roster at the season’s outset.

“I hope he does get another opportunity, and I hope he gets off to a good start. I still think there’s some game left for him.”

The A’s have a DH, Keith Moreland, who bats lefthanded and starts against righties. When a lefty pitches, Melvin mostly uses Jed Lowrie, giving the 37yearold second baseman a chance to rest his legs. Mark Canha also got a few DH starts.

While Melvin has much respect for Davis as a person and player, the manager suggested the A’s aren’t currently a fit.

“Again, that’s not my job, but right now, there’s no room, unfortunately,” Melvin said. “If we had a roster spot that fit for what he does, then, man, I think everyone would love to have him back and see if this rekindles his spirit, but it doesn’t look at this point in time like we would have room for him.”

Melvin said he planned to reach out to Davis to lend support. With Davis in Melvin’s lineup, the A’s didn’t lack a power threat.

For three straight years, Davis topped 40 homers and 100 RBIs, and batted .247 four straight seasons, becoming the first qualified batter with the same batting average four years in a row. In 2018, he was Oakland’s first hitter since Mark McGwire in 1996 to lead the majors in homers.

But in 2019, Davis’ numbers dropped. He hit .220 with 23 homers and 73 RBIs. Early that season, he received a twoyear, $33.5 million extension for 2020 and 2021.

The stats continued to dip in the abbreviated 2020 season (.200, two homers, 10 RBIs, 30 games), and with a replacement needed for shortstop Marcus Semien, the A’s sent Davis to Texas for Andrus.

“Sometimes you put too much pressure on yourself, and I’m not saying the contract had to do with that,” Melvin said, “but I know he is a guy who expects a certain type of performance out of himself, and he can sometimes get a little down when that doesn’t occur.

“So maybe he put a little too much pressure on himself, and things snowballed a little bit, and he just couldn’t get going again after that.”