| Khris Davis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Davis with the Oakland Athletics in 2017 | |
| Left fielder /Designated hitter | |
| Born: (1987-12-21)December 21, 1987 (age 37) Lakewood, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 1, 2013, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 2021, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .242 |
| Home runs | 221 |
| Runs batted in | 590 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Khristopher Adrian Davis (born December 21, 1987), nicknamed “Khrush”, is an American former professionalbaseballleft fielder anddesignated hitter. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theMilwaukee Brewers,Oakland Athletics andTexas Rangers. Davis led MLB with 48home runs in the 2018 season.
Davis was born inLakewood, California.[1] He attendedCactus High School before transferring to play baseball atDeer Valley High School, where he was twice named an All-State player.[1] During his senior season at Deer Valley, Davis hit .592 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs to lead the team to a state title.[2] Davis attendedCalifornia State University, Fullerton, where he playedcollege baseball for theCal State Fullerton Titans as anoutfielder,designated hitter, andpinch hitter.[2] In his junior season, Davis hit .328 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs.[3]
In 2006, Davis was drafted by theWashington Nationals in the 29th round; he did not sign with the team but opted to play college baseball.[1] He later was drafted by theMilwaukee Brewers in the seventh round of the2009 Major League Baseball draft.[1]
Davis began his minor league career in 2009. He played in one game for theHelena Brewers of theRookie-levelPioneer League club and ten games for theArizona League Brewers; Davis combined for two home runs and a .237 batting average.[1] He spent the entire 2010 season playing for theWisconsin Timber Rattlers of theSingle–AMidwest League. He played in 128 games with 22 home runs and a .280 batting average.[1]
To start the 2011 season, Davis was promoted to theBrevard County Manatees of theHigh–AFlorida State League.[1] After 90 games, he was promoted to theHuntsville Stars of theDouble–ASouthern League; Davis played 35 games with the team.[1] In 125 games that year, he batted .280 with 84runs batted in (RBI) and 17 home runs.[1]
In 2012, Davis returned to the Arizona League Brewers and the Huntsville Stars for six and 44 games respectively.[1] The Brewers promoted Davis to their top level below the Major Leagues with theNashville Sounds of theTriple–APacific Coast League.[1] He played in 32 games for the Sounds with a .310 batting average.[1]
The Brewers added Davis to their 40-man roster during the 2012–13 offseason.[4] After a productive spring training,[5] Davis made the final roster cut and made his major league debut on opening day, grounding out in a pinch-hit appearance. Five days later, Davis made his first major league start in left field and recorded his first major league hit, a double offPatrick Corbin of theArizona Diamondbacks. After a poor start that saw him bat just .188, Davis was optioned to Nashville.
Davis was recalled in mid-July, and afterRyan Braun's suspension due to performance-enhancing drug use, became the Brewers' starting left fielder down the stretch. He hit his first major league home run atMiller Park on July 23 offColt Hynes of theSan Diego Padres. Davis ended the year with 11 home runs in 136 at-bats, with aslugging percentage of .596.
Davis' rookie performance was enough to encourage Brewers management to trade right fielderNorichika Aoki toKansas City and move Ryan Braun from left to right field, opening up an everyday role for Davis.[6] After a slow start, batting .219 with anon-base percentage of .250 and aslugging percentage of.388 through May 20, Davis hit four home runs in six games. At theAll-Star Break, Davis led the Brewers with 15 home runs. In 144 games for the Brewers, Davis hit .244 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs.[7]
Davis was once again named the starting left fielder for the Brewers during the 2015 season and batted .247 with 27 home runs and 66 RBIs in 121 games.[8]
On February 12, 2016, the Brewers traded Davis to theOakland Athletics forJacob Nottingham and Bubba Derby.[9] On May 17 in a game against theTexas Rangers, Davis hit three home runs, including a walk-off grand slam for the third. This was only the second time this has happened in MLB history.[10] On August 14, 2016, Davis hit his 30th home run of the season, a two-run homer against theSeattle Mariners.[11] On September 18, 2016, Davis hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season in a game against the Rangers.[12] He added two more home runs to conclude the season. He also contributed 102 RBIs for the season, becoming the first player in the franchise to reach 100 or more RBIs since the 2006 season, whenFrank Thomas had 114 RBIs for the Athletics.[13][14]
Davis hit two home runs in Oakland's 2017 season opener on April 3, the second Athletics player to do so, and the first sinceJason Giambi in 2000.[15] Davis hit 43 home runs total in the 2017 season and contributed 110 RBIs, being the first Athletics player to have back-to-back 40 home run seasons.[16]
In 2018, his 48 home runs led all of MLB. He also batted .247 for the fourth consecutive season.[17][18] His 123 RBIs were the second-most in baseball behindJ. D. Martinez.[19] For the season, he had the lowestline drive percentage of all major league hitters (15.9%).[20]
In 2019 he batted .220/.293/.387 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs. He swung at the highest percentage of pitches inside the strike zone of all American League batters (82.2%).[21] In 2020, Davis continued with his struggles offensively, hitting an even .200 with only 2 home runs and 10 RBI.
On February 6, 2021, the Athletics traded Davis,Jonah Heim andDane Acker to theTexas Rangers in exchange forElvis Andrus andAramis Garcia.[22] He was designated for assignment on June 8 after hitting .157/.262/.333 in 22 games for Texas.[23] Davis was released by the Rangers on June 13.[24]
On August 4, 2021, Davis signed a minor league deal with theOakland Athletics. He was assigned to theArizona Complex League Athletics.[25] After going 1-for-11 with the ACL Athletics, he was promoted to the Triple-ALas Vegas Aviators. There, he hit .333 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs over 16 games. On September 1, the Athletics selected Davis' contract when the rosters expanded.[26]
On April 5, 2022, Davis signed with theDiablos Rojos del México of theMexican League.[27] In 12 games, he batted .119/.213/.167 with 2 RBI. Davis was released on May 18.[28]
On June 2, 2022, Davis signed with theWild Health Genomes of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 54 games for the Genomes, he hit .271/.356/.585 with 17 home runs and 46 RBI. Davis was released on September 16.
Davis' father, Rodney, played in theLos Angeles Dodgers organization and has served as a scout for the Dodgers andArizona Diamondbacks.[29] He now serves as the head baseball coach at Whittier Christian High School in La Habra, Ca. His mother, Sonia Davis (née Alarcón),[30] was born inCuliacán, but grew up inEnsenada.[31]
