Davis back for run at playoffs
Slugger’s return a hit in Oakland clubhouse
Khris Davis rejoined the A’s Wednesday, and to hear him tell it, it was as if he never left.
“It’s a lot of excitement. They’re all happy to see me, smiles and a lot of hugs,” Davis said in pregame video conference before the A’s faced the Tigers in Detroit. The A’s lost 8-6 to the Tigers, blowing a 6-3 lead, and Davis didn’t get into the game. But he will. And Davis and his teammates are thrilled to be reunited for the final month of the season.
“We’re not social distancing,” Davis said. “All the guys are happy to see me and I’m just going to do what I can to help ’em make this playoff push. That’s important to this organization and so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Davis got the news Tuesday night from manager Bob Melvin he would be returning to the place where he was one of the most feared power hitters in the major leagues from 2016 through 2018, his path of destruction interrupted by a hip injury in Pittsburgh, a prolonged funk at the plate and finally a trade to the Texas Rangers.
“He said he was probably more excited about this call-up than his first,” Melvin said. “That’s due to a lot of things, the fact that he had to go down and dig deep and do it all over again. It’s a hard thing to do. Very impressive to see what he’s accomplished, to get back here. Now it’s all about him helping our team down the stretch.”
Exactly how Melvin plans to use Davis is not clear. Jed
Lowrie was in the lineup at designated hitter Wednesday in Detroit.
“We’ll sit down here and talk, he just got here a little bit ago. And then once I do that I will have a little bit more for you,” Melvin said.
Davis was a hugely popular teammate and that alone will provide a lift, Melvin said.
“Over the years here, he’s become everybody’s favorite,” Melvin said. “I think just the fact that he’s back in the clubhouse puts everybody in a good mood, seeing what he accomplished in Triple-A, doing the type of things he’s done in the past here and looking forward to contributing here.”
Other than flashing some of his old power in last year’s playoffs when he hit four home runs and drove in six runs against Houston and Chicago, Davis has been pretty much lost at the plate since a hip injury colliding with an outfield railing in Pittsburgh on May 5, 2019. He had 12 home runs in 43 games at the time of the injury, and just 11 more in the next 90. Last year, in the 60game regular season, Davis never got untracked, hitting .200 with two homers and 10 RBIs in limited playing time.
Even with the late playoff contributions, the A’s traded Davis to Texas in exchange for Elvis Andrus after Marcus Semien left for Toronto in free agency. A training camp quad strain with the Rangers carried into the regular season, and he was designated for assignment on June 8 and released.
It was inspiration from the A’s Matt Chapman, Davis said, that caused him to “get off the couch” in his Arizona home.
He worked diligently with his trainer and best friend, Gilbert DeLeon, to get his swing back.
“I tinkered a little bit in the cage and started using my backside more and using my legs more,” Davis said. “When I got my next opportunity, it showed up instantly. I’m just going to ride it out as long as it lasts.”
Davis hit 10 home runs and hit .333 in 16 games for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, with a line drive to the opposite field in his first game giving him confidence he was on the right track.
“I got a base hit the other way on a line drive and when I go the other way on line drives I’m pretty confident and comfortable,” Davis said.
Confident and comfortable is exactly where Melvin believes Davis needs to be in terms of his mindset.
“When you’re out of it for awhile and have to work your way back, and get to the point where he is right now, he’s just very comfortable in his own skin,” Melvin said. “He’s happy to be back and reinvigorated and in my opinion that can be a dangerous Khris Davis for us.”
The A’s have used a number of designated hitters this season. They’ve combined for a .207 batting average with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and a .661 OPS. In 2018 alone, Davis had 46 home runs and 118 RBIs as a DH with an 883 OPS.
Melvin said he doesn’t believe Davis’ ability never left him, and Davis sounds intent on proving his manager right.
“I’m a hitter. That’s what I’m born to do. Give the ABs, I’ll figure it out. I’m not just going to go up there and waste (at-bats),” Davis said. “If you just give me the opportunity I’m going to figure it out for my teammates.”