Solid former SF Giants third baseman signs deal to keep career going in Japan

Former SF Giants third baseman J.D. Davis has struggled in his career after the Giants moved on from him prior to the 2024 season. He has now signed a deal with the Seibu Lions to keep his playing career going in Japan.

The Lions are part of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league. Davis has bounced around from team to team since his tenure with the Giants so perhaps he can turn things around overseas like players have in the past.

Former SF Giants third baseman J.D. Davis keeping his career going in Japan

Davis was with the Giants from 2022 and 2023 and provided some solid play for the team. He came over in a trade with the New York Mets that sent Darin Ruf to New York and wound up being a solid move as Ruf struggled with the Mets and was eventually let go only to find his way back to San Francisco.

In 2023 with San Francisco, Davis slashed .263/.361/.496 with eight home runs and 14 runs batted in. He followed that up in 2023 by slashing .248/.325/.413 with 18 homers and 69 runs batted in as he played in 144 games as the team's primary third baseman.

Prior to the 2024 season, the Giants signed Matt Chapman to be their third baseman which immediately threw Davis's future with the team into uncertainty. His exit from the team was messy as the Giants released him in a controversial cost-cutting measure, but ultimately the decision to choose Chapman over him proved to be very wise.

After he was let go by the Giants, he was signed by the Athletics where he slashed .236/.304/.366 in 39 games before he was let go. He played seven games with the New York Yankees last season and then spent some time with the Los Angeles Angels this season appearing in five games.

We will see if Davis can get back on track in Japan. We have seen players go overseas and have great success and then come back and become solid MLB players. Darin Ruf took that route himself, going to Korea and then being a good player with the Giants.

Davis is only 32 so he still has time to get things going again and get back to playing for an MLB team.