The Oakland Athletics Are In Big Trouble If Khris Davis Walks In Free Agency
Oakland Athletics' Khris Davis (2) reacts as he approaches home plate after hitting a three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of their MLB game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, May 4, 2018. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
The Oakland Athletics can’t let Khris Davis get away. After the team signed him to a 1-year $16.5 million contract, his status with the team beyond next season isn’t clear. If the A’s were smart, they’d have locked him up as soon as they could have. Now, they risk losing him.
Davis is the best position player on the Athletics roster. At 31 years of age, he’s still in the prime of his career. Yes, he’ll start to see a decline going into the next few seasons, but, the A’s still need to sign him. He’s the face of the franchise right now. How good would Oakland even be without him?
Davis has been one of baseball’s best power hitters over the last 3 seasons. He’s hit over 40 HRs in each. These 3 years also had him eclipsing the 100 RBI mark and snag over 130 hits each season. Davis is nothing but consistent, he’s had a .247 batting average for 4 consecutive years.
It’s that same batting average which holds Davis back. His .247 mark is far from sexy. Add that to an awful 166 or more strikeouts (195 in 2017) over the last 3 seasons, and he’s one of the least disciplined players at the plate in baseball.
Despite all of the issues, Davis is one of the most lethal hitters in the MLB. He’s turned the A’s franchise into a serious contender. Davis can expect a lot of money to come his way next season if he continues the play of the last 3 years.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility Davis gets $20 million in free agency. It won’t be a lengthy deal, but some team will make him a rich man. Whether or not that’s the Athletics remains to be seen. It’s definitely something they need to consider, though. He’s a fan favorite in Oakland.
Khris Davis led all of baseball in HR’s for 2018 (48) and won the Edgar Martinez Award given to the league’s best Designated Hitter. It’s almost guaranteed he does the same this season. Oakland will need to pay up or risk losing him.
Depending on how the season goes for the A’s, he’ll be back in an Oakland uniform. They won’t let him walk if they are on the cusp of a big run through the playoffs. It’s unlikely the A’s get past the Wild Card game this season, but they won’t get that far for quite some time again if Khris Davis leaves. It’s imperative Oakland keep him around.
Image Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
