The Rangers have designated DH/outfielder Khris Davis for assignment, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
A three-time 40-home run hitter, Davis joined the Rangers in the offseason in a trade with the Athletics, who acquired shortstop Elvis Andrus as their headlining piece. Neither player has performed well this season, however. Davis missed the first month-plus of the season with a left quad strain and has since batted .157/.262/.333 with a pair of home runs in 61 plate appearances. So far, it’s the third straight year in which Davis has posted subpar production at the plate.
Davis is making $16.7MM this season, the last of a two-year, $33.5MM contract. Considering Davis’ offensive issues and his lack of defensive value, he’s unlikely to appeal to any team in a trade over the next week.
To replace Davis, the Rangers recalled infielder/outfielder Eli White, whom they also acquired from the A’s in a past trade. White has hit a dismal .155/.214/.194 with zero home runs in 112 PA since he debuted last year.
Now if the A’s follow suit with Andrus, we can just call that trade a wash and move on.
It was hardly a wash. Dane Acker looked like a serious pitching prospect with us before undergoing TJ about a month ago. Heim has been one of the best defenders in baseball behind the plate, and he’s a quality backup to Trevino. Davis and Andrus weren’t the big pieces in that trade.
Don’t mess with Rangers29!
I do appreciate your deep knowledge of the Texas Nine! Been a long time fan but don’t have time for deep dives. Thanks!
I hear ya, but Davis was still a “big piece”.
rondon:
He would have been a big piece if the trade had taken place in 2018 or earlier. But over his last 2 seasons, 163 games, he was no longer that big piece. Sure he had 25 HRs, but struck out 172 times, with a line of .217/.294/.378 for an OPS of .672, and an 83 OPS+. He was 32 when he was traded. He may have been a big piece at one time, but he was not, when traded, what I would call one any longer.
Strongly agreed, Steve. A’s have to get rid of Garcia as backup C too, there’s a mountain of catchers in the minors who can hit and call a game better than him.
All of those players in that trade are bad this season, Acker was interesting, until TJ came calling, now no one knows what he will end up like.
Mets or Yankees should jump on him
And put him in AAA
I could see the Yanks but the Mets don’t need a DH reclamation project. Not this year.
Eh, depends on how Ackler turns out. He’s the only piece in this trade with the potential to make it worthwhile for the Rangers. He’s ranked as their #23 prospect on FanGraphs. Not bad to get a top 30 org prospect out of the deal.
Doubt Heim turns into anything super special. Though he could eventually be a solid back-up catcher. A guy who can catch once a week and provide good defense.
I was reading the fangraphs evaluations of players and they are pretty high on Heim, believing that he will have a higher offensive ceiling than Trevino. He does seem to have some power when he makes contact. Good defender, I will take it.
I look at the A’s Mitch Moreland singing too since he took a chunk of Davis’s role. He is checking in at 105 wRC+ and 0.0 fWAR. Much better than Davis, but still not much of a contribution.
Kris Davis is trying to give Chris Davis a run for his money. Ahahaha!
Andrus has “rebounded” some after an abysmal April, slashing .304 /.345./405 over the last month.
I suspect Khris Davis’ career might essentially be over.
Nah someone will take a chance on him. Probably not a contender though
Yes, likely, although that’s why I tossed in a qualifier. He seems the type that a team will take a chance on, maybe a minor league deal, a call-up or two, but the sand in the hourglass will run out soon and won’t be turned over. He’s three years removed from relevancy.
Talk about falling off the wagon!!
I’m krushed
Thank the baseball Gods.
Sad womp noises
Yankees on the telephone line for the minimum after he clears waivers. Odor version 2.0.
Gotta wonder about that.
Well worth the shot and got out from under the Elvis contract partially. Also got Heim so I’ll take that trade. He really doesn’t have a spot on this team since he’s a DH and they already have Calhoun. I could see Jung and Huff get some starts there at the end of the season. Plus I think this really opens up a spot of Curtis Terry to see what he can do too if he continues to hit over the next month or so.
Heim is atrocious. You never ever should call a negative WAR player good, it makes you sound like you don’t know what a good player is.
There you go again going off the rails. Chill out, dude. Heim had a pretty good ’19 in two minor league levels. He’s at 110 AB’s in the MLB so he’s exactly the type of player the Rangers should be auditioning with them going nowhere.
Off the rails? You sound like you have issues determining tone. I am as calm as can be. You sound like you are blowing up more than me!
Ok I’m over it, here’s a mute for you.
The pleasure is mine.
Par for the course for ‘ole emotionally unstable A’sfan
Where in there did I say he was good lol? He’s a solid backup for a team that isn’t contending. You could do worse and have with Mathis the past two years. I’ll take Heim over Mathis, Garcia (who he was traded for), and other numerous catchers that are career backups for a younger guy that may end up being better than anyone expects. I think I know quite a bit about the game and realize that Heim may only last a couple years as a backup and will probably not be an Allstar at any point. Negative war is never good so hopefully he improves. That’s the point of my post being they basically got him for nothing. Lots of players have been given up on. Perfect example is Adolis Garcia.
Lol, he never called Heim a good player, but go off.
Ask any pitcher that’s ever pitched to Heim how good he is. A catcher’s most important contribution to the game comes when he is behind the plate, not beside it.
Interesting.
Bravo Rangers. Call it what it is and move on. Don’t waste time and effort trying to recover value long lost.
Rockies bench bat. Can’t be worse than Matt Adams.
At least both sides got equal value.
Well he’s definitely clearing waivers. Can’t wait to see him sign with the M’s lol
Orioles fans are thinking “I was hoping for the other Chris Davis”.
Obviously not worth the contract but someone will take him. Texas should probably let the young guys play regardless of their lack of talented young guys but some team will take him.
The Mets should be all in on him, we need offense badly
What part of his triple slash would make you think he could provide it? The guy was a 1 trick pony who lost his 1 trick.
This was a good trade for both sides. The Rangers got the prospects and the A’s are better off with an awful hitting shortstop than an awful hitting DH.
Rangers got 1 prospect who immediately had to get TJ. Trade is a bust 100% all around.
Its staggeringly terrible that 4 negative WAR players are getting defended in here. Up your standards, people! There’s better players at AAA of all ages than those 4.
A’s are definitely not “better off” playing the worst SS everyday than keeping Khrush on the bench as a PH like they did last year. You are wrong.
I like pinch hitters that can actually hit the ball.
I dont care about pinch hitters, I care about my teams everyday SS not hitting for months on end.
I still would rather have Andrus than Davis. If that upsets you so be it!
It’s really, really hard to bench a guy who hit more home runs than Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton, Nelson Cruz, Edwin Encarnacion, J.D. Martinez, and Nolan Arenado from 2016-2018 just to prevent a possibly injury in 3-8 games he may play in inter-league play.
Unless that TJ surgery derails his career, it’s hardly a bust. TJ is far from a death sentence.
“Staggeringly terrible”? Wow, this guy and the hyperbole. Someone needs to confiscate those keys to the adverb-mobile.
First off I am not an A’s or Rangers fan. But you’re clueless if you think this is a bust 100% all around? Both teams benefitted from this deal and were able to dump salary and pieces that no longer fit their team needs. The A’s got a a needed shortstop and were able to dump K. Davis contract in the process. The Rangers netted a top pitching prospect who had to have TJ surgery.
In the process the Rangers also added a much needed backup catcher that is 10x better than Matheis was and shored up their infield defense by moving gold glove winner Kiner-Falefa to shortstop. They took a flyer on Davis (failed) who could hopefully add enough offense and pop and trade him at the deadline, While that didn’t workout the Rangers still come out on top and especially if the top prospect recovers from TJ.
Wherever he lands – he’ll be a Ranger killer once again!
This was too obvious. His final year in Oakland was awful, and he proved here that he doesn’t have it anymore.
Bob Melvin destroyed his career by shoehorning him into LF when he never ever had any business playing there. His awful defensive instincts led him to run directly into the fence in an NL park in a meaningless game he should never have been in to begin with, which pretty much ended him as a hitter too.
When are old people going to accept that some players are strict DHs? No, he’s not a “sometimes” DH, Khris Davis was a full-time, bench him during the world series in the NL parks-level DH. But no. We MUST have players playing multiple positions!
Ugh, when will it end???
It ends when the A’s get a new stadium and take bigger risks investing in their product.
Manfred has already given the Athletics permission to relocate. They’ll have a new stadium, increased revenue, and more payroll flexibility. Until then, they’ll remain in Oakland dodging the raw sewage that flows inside the Coliseum.
Ah yes, the “old people are stupid’ argument that you like to use so often. How old are you, btw? Probably one of those old people you hate so much…
@A’s fan
Oh my God can you please stop stealing & over using other peoples medication?
Except Grandma’s haemorrhoid cream. Please continue with swallowing that because it might stop your verbal doo doos.
In your squirrel brained scenario you make it sound like “Evil” Bob Melvin – jealous of Khris Davis locks, looks, slugging power & contract decides with the help of Muttley to impale him on a left field fence in an inter league game.
FFS – yeah – a manager wants to destroy his players careers,,,,
I like how cool & calm @ A’sFaninUK always stays when he is confronted with adversity or opposing ideas, @A’sFaninLondonUK.
(ahem)
Makes for interesting reading.
Maybe he should take Satchel Paige’s advice….”stay away from fried food, it angers up the blood”. Either that or warm beer.
“Old people.” Nice. No wonder people mute you.
@A’sfaninUK-
Davis has made well over 50m dollars in his career, so I’d hardly say it was ruined.
Hopefully the Braves don’t know his phone number.
With a tight wallet, love for reclamation projects and AA steered by Liberty anything is possible.
If the A’s cut Andrus and Aramis Garcia they literally will win more games. They use the backup C really often even though Garcia is atrocious they still trot him out there as he makes the worst calls on what pitches to throw to on-fire hitters, while not hitting a lick himself. A’s can do better at SS and backup C. I’d even take Pinder over Andrus as the everyday SS at this point.
Why do people continue to use the word “literally” when it’s not needed?
That’s literally true.
I literally don’t know why.
At least this time it was used correctly, if unnecessarily.
So essentially jon paid almost 30 million bucks for a backup catcher? Genius!
He was always a Rangers killer. Probably sign with AL West team to beat up on Rangers, not that it will take to much effort to accomplish that.
Technically he still is a Ranger Killer.
The number .247 became very sad when he heard this news
Rangers DFA guy who can’t hit, call up guy who can’t hit..
Tanking much?
It’s like listening to two people argue about who’s car looks best after a head-on collision.
@brewer 88 – yep – ain’t that the truth. Bald men fighting over a comb….
Yankees are going to sign him huh *face palm*
Steroids must have worn off. Pirates take a flyer for some reason.
Evidence of your accusation?
2018 48hr 123 rbi .549 slg .874 ops MVP-8
to
2021 2 hr 5 rbi .333 .slg 596 ops
Ahh yes, science
citizen: what you provide evidence of is natural decline. You are aware that players decline, often suddenly and quickly.
Unsubstantiated steroid accusations are just pure corniness
“Unsubstantiated steroid accusations are just pure corniness.”
@Whyhazee
Are you reading this, bro?
Jeeez, I sure hope so.
citizen:
You obviously have no idea how steroids work. They don’t “wear off”. Steroids do not give someone bigger muscles on their own. They allow the body to heal quicker. Steroid-users can lift weights every day, whereas non-steroid users need a day off between lifting. Given Davis’ one-dimensional profile, and age, the drop off is more likely a simple decline
Call the Yankees, they’ll take him off your hands and give you a top30 prospect or two.
Not been a good couple years to be an MLBer named Chris Davis.
What did you make last year?
Could be worse…..
I’m expecting something on Riley Pint’s retirement from baseball. Both pitchers drafted by the Rockies in the first round of the 2016 draft have now hung ’em up. Eerie coincidence, or does it suggest something about Colorado’s pitcher development plan?
They have a pitcher development plan?
The trade was nothing more than an accounting trade much like the Dodgers Braves Kemp/Agon trade in 17′
Anything gained/or lost on the field was just gravy or the price of doing business
I want him playing left in Boston. Verdugo moves to center. Kikè to second. Either Marwin or Santana gets released.
Only the Rangers would cut someone who is struggling badly and replace him with someone who has worse overall statistics! At least Eli White is only 26 years old so I guess they are auditioning him one more time before cutting ties with him too. The DH / 5th OF spot will be a revolving door in Texas for the rest of the season by the sounds of it.
No team is claiming Kris Davis off of waivers, but he will garner interest once he becomes a free agent, so long as he’ll agree to a minor league assignment. If he doesn’t want to go down to AAA, this is the end of the road for Krush.
White has been crushing it at Triple-A. At least he can provide some versatility as well. Khris Davis is a DH, and if he isn’t hitting, he’s worthless. White can play all over the field.
You mean he was Khrushing it?
Eli White has been a monster in AAA across his last 30 games with something like a .998 OPS. I would much prefer to see if he figures this thing out than keep running Krush out there.
White is hitting .343 with a .987 OPS in AAA. He deserves another look in the majors. Plus he provides versatility. Much rather have him taking a spot than Davis.
Why? Davis is a sunk cost which the Rangers realize. At least they’re doing something rather than waste a roster spot and more AB’s on him. They could’ve hung on to him until the deadline.
That’s not really what a sunk cost is. They’re not required to continue pumping extra assets into him in order to retain him, so doesn’t fit.
Every at-bat is worth X amount of dollars for the Rangers. They’ve determined that he provides a net negative value. Therefore, if they continue to provide him AB’s and keep him on their roster, then they’re using up assets which could otherwise be utilitzed by another player with a chance of providing the team a positive value. I’m not trying to debate you over semantics.
Honest question, does he even play in the field anymore or is he just a DH like Nelson Cruz?
I’d assume he’s a DH only/emergency OF. He hasn’t taken the field more than a dozen times in a season since 2017. Most of those times, he only took the field because it was an interleague game. 14 of his last 17 games in the field (which has ranged from 2018 to present) have been against NL teams.
You know I actually wonder if this is more about finding atbats for Curtis Terry. He clearly needs a shot at the bigs and he is a DH only type. White is probably a 4th OF at best.
Fine by me. Should eventually open a spot for Curtis Terry who is destroying AAA right now. Not to mention Acker and Heim is a quality return for Andrus, honestly.
O’s should sign him (after waivers, obviously) and platoon him with……oh, Chris Davis.
Looks like a Braves acquisition, with Ozuna basically gone and no real “Thump” in left AA might pounce.
On a minimum deal I wouldn’t hate it if Atlanta took a chance on him.
Cardinals
Braves…. Cardinals… y’all realize he’s basically a DH who can’t hit, yea? Even if the bat has a bit of a bounce-back, he still can’t field
Khris Davis was one of the more consistent .247 hitters. A change of scenery maybe will help Davis reach .247 fame once again, so hopefully someone goes for the minimum on him. he comes with high K with HR every 10-15 K’s
Id have held on and see if he rebounded. Then eat a lot of the money and see what I could get. A lottery ticket is better than nothing. Rangers are rebuilding so the gamble would have been worth it.
As soon as he stopped hitting .247, his career tanked. He shouldn’t have stopped.
Hitters named Chris Davis don’t seem to age very well.
Rays.
No thanks! We’re good
Yea the Rays didn’t become a successful organization by making dumb moves like that
Yanks like this skillset. They’ll probably bring him in and release Gardner.
That would be dumb. Davis is, right now, no better than Gardy but at least Gardy can play the field
Well as they say, baseball is a humbling game.
Still, I didn’t think he would be let go after just 22 games.
ML service: 7.104 going into this year. Does he pack it up and spend the $65M he already made or does he hang on for dear-life for a 10 year MLB pension that will pay him a fraction of what he spends on a Caribbean vacation.? Time to become an ESPN analyst.
Davis is a slightly enhanced version of the Chris Carter style of hitting. Big power, moderate walks, high K’s, poor defense. Lose just a tick of bat speed and they collapse quickly. Nice run, made some decent coin, but his career seems to be essentially over, as I noted elsewhere. He might bounce around on some minor league deals, even squeeze in a few final MLB ABs, but doesn’t appear there’s much left in the tank. Non-zero chance we never see him again in the majors.
Bottom line: The Rangers didn’t need Elvis hanging around this season with IKF and Solak up the middle. They were able to get rid of him and pick up two useful players (Heim and Acker) without spending any additional money.
Don’t listen to the Heim naysayers. The pitchers all love him, and that’s what is important in a catcher.
If he could have thrown the ball,even poorly, I would have had him and Dumped Braun! he was a better power hitter! Look it up!
I wish I was paid that much to be terrible at my job…
My favorite Khris Davis moment…….when he missed touching home plate after hitting a home run.