Former San Francisco Giants third baseman JD Davis rounds the bases during an exhibition game against the Texas Rangers in Scottsdale AZ on Fri Mar 1, 2024. Davis was released by the Giants on Mon Mar 11, 2024 (AP News photo)
By Stephen Ruderman
The Giants released third-baseman J.D. Davis to clear the way for the recently-signed Matt Chapman to be the team’s everyday third-baseman.
This move was inevitable after the Giants signed Matt Chapman to be their everyday third-baseman on March 3. The Giants placed Davis on waivers on Saturday, and then outright released him Monday. This was despite the fact that Davis was 6-for-15, hitting .400, this spring.
There was also some drama between the Giants and Davis over the off-season. Davis took the Giants to arbitration, and while the Giants offered him $6.55 million for the 2024 Season, Davis was awarded $6.9 million by the three-person arbitration panel.
“We negotiate[ed] all of our arbitration cases in good faith, and tried to reach an agreement with all of our arbitration-eligible players, [Davis] included,” said Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi. “Sometimes it happens; sometimes it doesn’t.”
Due to a clause in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, the Giants will not have to pay Davis the $6.9 million that he won in arbitration. The clause stipulates that players are guaranteed the pay in negotiated contracts, but are not guaranteed the pay in contracts decided by arbitration until Opening Day.
With the release coming prior to Opening Day, the Giants will not have to pay Davis the $6.9 million, but they may have to pay him over $1.1 million in termination pay. The CBA states that termination pay applies to players who “failed to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability.” With Davis’ .400 spring thus far, the Giants stand a good chance of not having to pay Davis the $1.1 million-plus.
After Chapman signed with the Giants, it was speculated that Davis could have been traded, but with the Giants unable to find a suitable deal for him, they opted to release him instead.
The Giants acquired Davis from the New York Mets on Aug. 2, 2022 at the Trade Deadline in exchange for Darin Ruf. Davis hit .263 with eight home runs in 49 games for the Giants in 2022. He then hit .248 with 18 home runs last season, but he struck out 152 times.
Teams that are looking for a power bat could benefit from signing Davis, who will now become a free agent.
Other Notes:
With Opening Day in San Diego on March 28 now two and a half weeks away, the Giants are making cuts.
Among the cuts was Heliot Ramos, who at one point was not just one of the Giants’ top prospects, but one of the highest-ranked prospects throughout Baseball. However, Ramos has struggled mildly in recent years, especially over the last two seasons.
Ramos was called up by the Giants to start their second game of the 2022 Season against the Miami Marlins on April 9. Ramos went 2-for-3 in that game, and scored a run. However, over the rest of that stint, as well as three others later in the season, Ramos did not record another hit, and ended up hitting .100 in nine games.
Last season, Ramos saw a bit more time with the Giants, and he appeared in 25 games. However, his stats did not improve the way the Giants would have liked, as he hit .179.
Ramos came into camp this spring hoping to bounce back, and he hit a home run against Jordan Hicks in live batting practice. However, once games began, Ramos’ struggles continued, as he was just 2-for-16 in nine games.
The Giants have some competition for bullpen spots this spring. With Camilo Doval set to begin his third season as the Giants’ closer, as well as Taylor and Tyler Rogers set to precede Doval late in games, there are battles for other spots in the bullpen.
The Giants cut left-handed relief pitcher Erik Miller, who despite yet having to have his major league debut, was considered a candidate to make the team. Miller appeared in three games, and gave up four runs, but just one earned run in three innings.
Manager Bob Melvin has stated that he would like one more left-handed reliever to accompany Taylor Rogers in the bullpen. Ethan Small, who is on the 40-man roster, remains an option. Juan Sanchez, and the veteran Amir Garrett, who are in camp non-roster invitees, are also potential options.
While the Giants have not announced their rotation, Logan Webb is set to make his third-straight opening day start, and Kyle Harrison, the Giants’ top prospect, is set to be the number-two starter.
Webb and Harrison talked to NBC Sports Bay Area. The two starters discussed working out together over the off-season in Arizona, as well as how despite being two completely different pitchers, have the same attitude when they compete and take the mound.
With Jordan Hicks being transitioned from a reliever into a starter, and Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray not set to join the rotation until later in the season, Webb and Harrison are expected to be the Giants’ top two starters.
Harrison was called up late last season on Aug. 22, when the Giants were in Philadelphia. He gave up two earned runs over three and a third innings against the Phillies in his major league debut. That was followed by an 11-strikeout, six-and-a-third-inning shutout performance against the Cincinnati Reds in his home debut at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Aug. 28.
Harrison made five more starts for the Giants, including the final game of the season against the Dodgers on Oct. 1, in which he pitched five shutout innings, but also hit three Dodger batters.
