The Astros have informed reporters, including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, that they have signed left-hander Austin Davis to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league Spring Training.
Davis, 30 in February, was drafted by the Phillies and made his MLB debut with them in 2018. He’s since bounced around quite a bit, spending time with the Pirates, Red Sox and Twins.
In 2022, he saw his most extensive big league action, logging 56 innings between Boston and Minnesota. In that time he posted a 5.79 ERA with a decent 24.2% strikeout rate but an unfortunate 12.5% walk rate. It’s possible that there was a bit of bad luck in there from his .331 batting average on balls in play and 63.6% strand rate. Advanced metrics liked him better but not by too much, with Davis earning a 4.59 xERA, 4.02 FIP and 4.13 SIERA. The Twins designated him for assignment in September.
Despite those numbers, Davis might have a path to joining the Astros since they are light on southpaws in the bullpen. The only left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster at the moment are Blake Taylor and Parker Mushinski. Taylor spent a decent chunk of 2022 on the IL due to elbow discomfort and was optioned to the minors at the end of his rehab assignment. Mushinski was up and down all year, only getting into seven big league games. It doesn’t seem like either one is a lock for a spot with next year’s bullpen, meaning there could be an opening for Davis to work his way in there. He’s out of options but has between two and three years of MLB service, meaning he can be retained for future seasons via arbitration if he earns a roster spot and keeps it.
Nope.
Jim Crane negotiated this deal personally. For practice.
He’s getting ready to storm the winter meetings and show all the GM’s who is boss. He’ll have his new ring on too.
Actually Crane scouted him, analyzed his results against lefties, looked at various offers that might excite him to come to Houston and then signed him.
Davis had one solid stretch for the Red Sox where he was practically unhittable, unfortunately it was sandwiched between the garbage stretches that were the beginning of the season and the end of his time in Boston
Do you know why he was so much better in May?
Curious, I never saw him pitch.
Probably more of a fluke than anything else
I have a hunch that the Astros would disagree with you OR they otherwise see unlocked potential.
AAA depth. Stros signed a couple of lefties like him last year on minor league deals.
If anyone can make him useful the Astros are a good bet. Nice for depth. I think he can at least be your worst arm and save innings for your playoff arms.
True they practically invented the use of Spidertac. Lmao
They also invented spidertac that only gets sticky when it comes in contact with the ball & magically becomes undetectable on the ball or the pitchers hand once the ball is pitched. The Astros are the slyest most devious team in baseball. No one can catch them cheating even though everybody is trying to.
Technically they didn’t invent spidertac. Word on the street – the Astros have a Delorean with a flux capacitor and Luhnow bought Plutoneum from the Russians to power it. They went into the future, stole some “magical” spidertac and brought it back. It’s really that simple.
I wish that spidertac and the juiced ball were both still used tbh. Way more entertaining to me personally
I liked the spitball and greaseball as well. This has always been a part of sport.
True considering they found new ways to use Spidertac
Another guy that’ll have a chance to tryout for a roster spot in spring training and likely won’t make it. Worth a shot though.
There it is. Crane’s replacement for JV.
Better than paying $39M for a one year wonder
3 Cy Youngs is a one year wonder? You need to lay off the moonshine son.
Back to back confirmed.
Rafael Montero 2021 stats, Seattle:
7.27 ERA, 43.1 IP, 15 BB, 37 SO, .311 AVG, 1.64 WHIP
Austin Davis 2022 stats, Boston:
5.47 ERA, 54.1 IP, 29 BB, 61 SO, .260 AVG, 1.56 WHIP
vs left – .198 AVG, 1.07 WHIP
vs right – .293 AVG, 1.96 WHIP
April ‘22 – 2.89 ERA, .257 AVG, 1.39 WHIP
May ‘22 – 0.75 ERA, .190 AVG, 1.17 WHIP (12.0 IP)
He never fully bloomed into the pitcher Chaim wanted. In fact, this was another head scratcher.