The Orioles have placed first baseman Chris Davis on the 10-day DL, per a team announcement. He has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain.
In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of David Washington. Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander was placed on the 60-day DL to create space on the 40-man roster.
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It isn’t clear just yet how long the O’s expect to go without Davis. But any time away could be problematic for a club that is desperately trying to pull out of a free-fall in the AL East standings.
Davis, 31, is leading the American League with 95 strikeouts (as he did in the prior two seasons). But he’s still producing at a solid .226/.320/.461 rate with 14 home runs through 250 plate appearances. That’s not close to the output the O’s are paying for, but the team’s replacement options don’t carry anything approaching his established ceiling at the major league level.
Washington will presumably see some time in the first base/DH mix, joining right-handed hitters Trey Mancini and Mark Trumbo. The 26-year-old earned his first MLB call-up after slashing .291/.344/.517 over 221 plate appearances at Triple-A. Washington, a former Cardinals farmhand, joined the O’s on a minor-league deal over the winter.
His deal was awful. Should have let him walk.
What are you talking about?? He’s walking at a 9.4% clip!
So that is worth a 7-year/$161M contract til 2023?
Pretty sure he was going for a poor man’s joke