Why And Why Not the Mets Should Bring Back J.D. Davis

On Saturday, March 9, 2024, it was announced that the San Francisco Giants placed infielder J.D. Davis on waivers after the Matt Chapman signing. The purpose of this move was to clear a roster spot for Chapman alongside some money. Now, there will be some infield-needy teams that will probably make attempts to claim Davis.

One of those teams may or may not be the New York Mets, who currently have an infield featuring Brett Baty as their starting third basemen. Davis, who used to play for the Mets from 2019-2022, could probably be a good help at third base given his experience in that position. But is it worth the reunion? Let’s discuss some ways on whether or not it makes sense.

Why And Why Not It Makes Sense For Mets to Reunite With J.D. Davis

Yes, It Makes Sense:

The infield Depth He Provides

Throughout his Mets career, Davis played all sorts of positions. While he had some reps as a left fielder, he spent most of his time playing in the infield at first and third base. That would be huge for the Mets in terms of their decision to possibly bring him back because they could use some help in the infield, especially at the hot corner. So far Baty has shown some signs of progression in spring training. He has six hits including a home run and three RBIs. It remains a question mark about how consistent he can be on offense and defense, so that will be something for the Mets to think about when making this decision.

Also, let’s not forget that Ronny Mauricio won’t play this season after having surgery on a torn ACL he suffered last winter. He was predicted to be the Mets’ number one third baseman before the injury. That’s how Baty is getting the opportunity to improve himself this season. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Baty’s chances of improving are slim to none, but Davis could easily provide the third base depth that Mauricio had originally provided should anything happen to Baty.

The Necessary Additional DH Option

Another reason why a reunion with Davis is possible has a lot to do with the designated hitter position. As of now, Mark Vientos will likely be the Mets’ No. one DH. That’s because the team still hasn’t signed free agent J.D. Martinez and they might not even make that move due to the asking price. Davis can be that guy who steps up the DH should Vientos either struggle or get hurt.

Davis statistically is pretty solid. During his Mets career, he hit 37 home runs and 120 RBIs in 4 seasons, putting his batting average to .278. After getting traded to the Giants at the deadline of 2022, he continued to progress well as he hit 26 home runs with 83 RBIs, and his batting average went to .251 in a season and a half with them. If the Mets were to claim Davis and he performs just like he did with them and the Giants, that would certainly help them out tremendously.

No, It Doesn’t Make Sense:

Other Statistics

Yes, as mentioned above, Davis is solid on offense. However, his strikeout rate was a bit questionable last season with the Giants. It was in the league’s 19th percentile, and one of the reasons why the Mets traded him was due to the strikeout rate.

His Defense

This one is huge. Davis had some defensive issues with the Mets and throughout his MLB career. The Mets as a team last season made 88 errors. They can’t afford to have so many this season if they want to make a postseason run. If you’re a Mets fan and you know about Davis’ baseball career, you should ask yourself “Is it worth the risk given his defensive struggles?”

Final Thoughts

Other than statistics and depth, it’s important to keep in mind that Davis is owed $6.9 million in 2024. That price is not small by any means, but you never know with owner Steve Cohen and finances. Clearly, the Mets have to decide before another team pulls the trigger first.