New York Mets: J.D. Davis winning the third base job

Adding J.D. Davis to the New York Mets roster last January appeared to be an afterthought. He is proving the doubters wrong so far in 2019.

When the New York Mets acquired J.D. Davis from Houston in January, most fans didn’t consider the move as impactful. They still had power hitting incumbent Todd Frazier and steady hitting Jeff McNeil could play the hot corner if needed. A week later, free agent Jed Lowrie was signed and anointed as co-third baseman.

New General manager Brodie van Wagenen said he wanted to add MLB ready depth in the organization to avoid the same fate the Mets suffered through in 2018 when injuries decimated the team. Adding a fringe major leaguer to the organization was no big deal, just a bit of insurance. After all, Davis’ career slash line of .194/.260/.321 was far from big league adequate.

A funny thing happened to Davis on the way to Quadruple-A obscurity. The 26-year-old, with a total of 165 Major League at-bats over parts two seasons, met up with opportunity. Both Frazier and Lowrie were injured during spring training. McNeil was in the middle of a transition to the outfield, and the Mets didn’t want him going back and forth.

More from Empire Writes Back

That left Davis. Although McNeil started at third on opening day, Davis manned the position for game two. He went on to hold down the job until Frazier returned on April 22. The Cal State Fullerton alum hit .273 over 55 at-bats with three homers and seven RBI as the starter.

Of course, when Frazier returned from his oblique injury, he got his job back. A career of good play trumps three weeks of it. Unfortunately, Frazier has hit more like Leo Foster that himself since rejoining the team. It isn’t unusual for the vet to strikeout often and hit for a low average, but even by his standard, 2019 has been awful. Frazier is batting .148 with 19 strikeouts and only one walk in 55 plate appearances.

Unable to rely on Frazier for any offense, New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway turned back to his early season surprise. Before Thursday’s matinee, Davis started the previous four games in a row. Once again, he has taken advantage of the opportunity presented, batting .294 over 17 at-bats.

Lowrie was on track to return from his knee capsule injury any day. However, he suffered a setback while playing in a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse. The new issue is a sore hamstring, which will keep the prized offseason acquisition out of action for another few weeks.

Next. Checkered flag expected, but Mets engine light is on. dark

Success is all about taking advantage of opportunities when they are presented. J.D. Davis has certainly done so in his young New York Mets career.

Home/New York Mets