Former SF Giants infielder reportedly has interest from at least 7 teams

The SF Giants officially released J.D. Davis earlier this week, per the team's transaction log. It was a frustrating move for several reasons, but his foray into free agency should not last long. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the corner infield has interest from at least seven clubs and a move could come soon.

Former SF Giants infielder reportedly has interest from at least 7 teams

This is no surprise to see. The Giants placed Davis on waivers over the weekend with the hopes that a team would take on his $6.9 million salary. That did not come to fruition as teams were aware that he would clear waivers and be available at a lower cost than that.

The Giants remain on the hook for $1.1 million owed to Davis and there are certainly debates as to whether the Giants operated within the confines of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Whether they did or did not, that remains to be seen. However, it has been viewed poorly from the rest of baseball. The hope is that this decision does not set some type of precedent for players going forward and pressure them to avoid arbitration altogether.

Slusser does not specify which teams have reached out to Davis. Though, the New York Mets appear to be one suitor, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post. On paper, the Mets make plenty of sense as third base was a soft spot on their roster last year. Mets third basemen combined to post a .590 OPS and -1.3 fWAR in 2023. Only the Oakland A's registered a lower OPS from the third base position last year and no team had a lower fWAR.

Davis would go a long way in helping those numbers. The righty bat is coming off of a quality season in which he recorded a .248/.325/.413 line (103 OPS+) with 18 home runs, 69 RBI, and 61 runs in 546 plate appearances. He got off to a hot start, experienced a long cold streak, and then finished strong in the final month of the year.

The seven-year veteran proved to be a capable glove at third base in 2023 where he was worth +4 Outs Above Average (OAA) and -11 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). The defensive metrics were mixed but he is, at the very least, passable in the field.

Davis is a solid role player and has a good track record with the bat. The improved defense helped him go from a bat-only player to one who is more well-rounded. He should have no problem finding a home for 2024. Perhaps, being released will only be a minor speed bump.