By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Both guys played collegiately at Cal State Fullerton, can hit with power, and have the potential to help the A’s in a major way. Both guys suited up in green and gold for the first time at the O.co Coliseum on Saturday and didn’t waste much time introducing themselves to the home crowd with a taste of that home run ability. But both guys don’t fit on an opening day roster that only has 25 spots.

So while 28-year old Khris Davis will likely land in Bob Melvin’s starting lineup on Monday night, 22-year old Matt Chapman’s time isn’t now, and he was reassigned to Minor League camp following the Bay Bridge series finale.

The A’s powered up to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Giants, winning 4-1 as both Davis and Chapman hit solo shots, and Eric Surkamp turned long man supreme by pitching seven innings in relief to get the win. Felix Dubrount, who was slated to begin the season as the A’s fifth starter was injured, and left the game after an inning, putting his first start at Seattle on Friday in doubt.

Davis was acquired in an off-season trade from Milwaukee, and after hitting .314 with a pair of homers in spring, appears to be ready to supplant veteran Coco Crisp as the team’s everyday guy in left field. Crisp and utility outfielder Sam Fuld were Davis’ competition for the spot, so it figured Davis would claim the competition, given his career-best 27 home runs for the Brewers in 2015.

Davis, the son of a longtime major league scout, Rodney Davis, is the latest in a line of sluggers that don’t necessarily impress you with any other facet of their game other than their ability to run into one frequently enough to justify their spot in an everyday major league starting role. The stout slugger handles fastballs with ease, homering at a rate off of fastballs that rivals Bryce Harper and the top sluggers in the game. But while Davis increased his ability to be discerning at the plate in 2015, drawing more walks, he still struck out 122 times in 392 official at-bats.

On Saturday, Davis homered of a 2-2 pitch from Matt Cain, which surely will be noticed by an organization that puts great value on hitting deep in counts. The newest Athletic has an impressive 60 home runs in 1092 big league-at bats, and he hit significantly higher average in spring than the .250 over his first three big league seasons. But maybe most importantly, he’s naturally gregarious, and happy to have been dealt from rebuilding Milwaukee to reloading Oakland, where good things have happened to players in Davis’ age range and skill set.

“I do what I do and take the elements out,” Davis said in explaining the dynamics of his homer off Cain.

Chapman, the A’s 2014 first-round pick, hit .295 in spring with a team-best six homers, including his eighth inning shot off Josh Osich that came on the first pitch. Despite his surprising spring as a non-roster invitee, Chapman will begin 2016 at Double A Midland. Defensively, he’s not nearly where he needs to be to earn a big league spot playing third base, but he’s put the organization on notice that his time is coming soon.

“The big thing for me, it’s kind of a boost in confidence,” he said. “To know that no matter what kind of slump you hit, or no matter what happens here on out, wherever you go, to know that you can compete at the highest level.”

NOTES: The A’s placed Eric Sogard on the disabled list with a neck strain, leaving Chris Coghlan in Sogard’s role as the team’s primary utility infielder. In fact, Coghlan is listed at five different positions on the A’s Opening Day depth chart, including all three outfield spots.

Yonder Alonso will be the starter at first base, and Danny Valencia has claimed the third base job. Crisp figures to see most of his time as a pinch hitter as Coghlan will be the primary backup to center fielder Billy Burns, and Mark Canha will back Davis in left.

The A’s set in pencil rotation has Sonny Gray followed by Rich Hill, Chris Bassitt, Kendall Graveman and Dubrount with Jesse Hahn on speed dial if the former Boston reliever/starter injured on Saturday misses any significant time.

Sean Doolittle, John Axford, Ryan Madson and 27-year old Australian Liam Hendriks will comprise the back end of the Oakland bullpen.