Getty Ex-Mets third baseman JD Davis
The last time third baseman J.D. Davis had a spell with the Mets organization, it didn’t exactly go well. But he is a free-agent now after being abruptly cut loose by the Giants, and at the very least, the Mets are showing some interest in bringing him back.
Davis was traded to San Francisco at the deadline in 2022, and was reasonably productive in a year-and-a-half there. Davis had a line of .248/.325/.413 with the Giants in 2023, appearing in 144 games and knocking 18 home runs. But when the Giants had the chance to upgrade with Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman this spring, they attempted to find a trading partner who would take on Davis.
No deal emerged, though, so the Giants simply cut him.
And the Mets, with an uncertain third-base situation, are reported to have had discussions with Davis about joining the team as a right-handed bat capable of manning third base is one of the items on the Mets’ wish list.
“The Mets have yet to bring someone in with that profile, it makes some sense that they would explore the possibility of a reunion with J.D. Davis,” according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. “League sources confirmed that the Mets have talked with Davis, whose presence would fit from a roster construction standpoint but also raise questions about New York’s young internal options at third base.”
Mets Only Have Young Options at 3B
The Mets had hoped that young prospect Ronny Mauricio would be in the mix for the 2024 third baseman’s job, but a torn ACL while playing winter league ball in the Dominican Republic is likely to keep him out all season as he rehabs.
Instead, the Mets have incumbent third baseman Brett Baty penciled into the spot. Baty is 24 and has shown potential as a hitter in the minors, but struggled badly last season and was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse. He hit 11 homers in 119 games, but batted .210 with a .272 on-base percentage for the year. Baty was a first-round pick, though, so the Mets really want him to win the job.
The other option is another inexperienced 24-year-old, Mark Vientos. He hit .211 in 65 games last season, and struggled early in Spring Training this year. But he has come on of late, with four hits and two home runs in his last four games.
JD Davis Was Not Happy With the Mets
Both are iffy options for the Mets. Davis is no star, but he is a reliable glove and an average bat. Perhaps being back in New York could rekindle his breakout season from back in 2019, when he batted .310 and had 22 home runs in his first Mets season.
But the Mets could not figure out where to play Davis, and the team cycled through managers and coaches, with Davis zig-zagging among third base, the outfield and first base, never quite able to get comfortable anywhere. He was a disgruntled player in New York.
“I had to figure it out on my own,” he told The Athletic in July 2023. “We want to put our best selves forward and perform at our best. You have the ability to help us prepare. I’m a big preparer. If you give me 24 hours to prepare, ‘This is what you’re doing tomorrow,’ that’s greatly appreciated.
“There’s that anxiety coming to the field that I’ve got to cross my Ts and dot my Is, I need to get reps in left field, I need to get reps at third base. In two hours, I’m going to know what position I’m going to play.”