Market Data 
It didn’t take long, and he didn’t have to go far. On Friday night, Robert Murray of Fansided reported that J.D. Davis and the Oakland A’s had agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. With the deal, Davis moves across the Bay, going from the San Francisco Giants, who designated him for assignment earlier this week, to the concurrently rebuilding and tearing down A’s, who still have no official home beyond 2024.
But beyond 2024 is of no concern to Davis, who with this signing recoups nearly half of what he lost when the Giants exercised what some have described as a loophole in the collective bargaining agreement. After signing Matt Chapman to play third base, the Giants cut Davis after he won his arbitration hearing. As previously reported here at Forbes.com, when the Giants released Davis, they only owned him $1.1 million worth of termination pay, and not the $6.9 million awarded by the arbitrator. Davis’ deal with the A’s includes an additional $1 million in potential performance bonuses, meaning that if everything breaks right, Davis could earn $4.6 million this season, 2/3 of what he was awarded in arbitration.
With the Giants cutting ties with Davis so close to Opening Day, and with so many teams either already set for payroll and/or their depth charts, Davis found himself at the mercy of a handful of teams, and with very little negotiating leverage. His weak position apparently played itself out, as the third baseman finds himself playing for one of – if not the – most beleaguered franchises in all of baseball, at less than half the guaranteed salary he would have made playing in San Francisco.
Davis stands to get a great deal of playing time at third base with Oakland, ahead of both Abraham Toro and Aledmys Díaz. For his career, Toro has hit .211 with a .636 OPS, and a 78 OPS+, and negative fielding metrics at third base. Díaz is a career .261 hitter, with a .743 OPS, with just above average ratings at third. And/but Díaz has the ability to play all over the field, having logged playing time at every position other than pitcher and catcher, with nearly half of his appearances at shortstop.
If one were to try to find silver linings, one could point to the fact that by staying in the Bay Area, Davis won’t have to move, and by signing with the A’s, he has a legitimate chance to play every day, and be moved to a contender at the trade deadline if he performs.
A few days ago Davis didn’t know if he would have a job. As of Friday night – pending a physical – Davis has recouped some of his lost money, has a chance to earn a little more, has a platform to prove his worth, and can set himself up for a better deal next season. For J.D. Davis, the week began with a black and orange door closing, and it ends with a green and gold window of opportunity opening.
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