Left-hander Austin Davis has elected free agency after clearing waivers, as noted by Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune last night. Davis, 31, was designated for assignment last week amid the Padres’ shuffling of the active roster following the trade deadline.
A 12th-round pick by the Phillies back in 2014, Davis made it to the majors during the 2018 season and since then has pitched in parts of six big league seasons. His rookie campaign was his best to date, as he pitched 34 2/3 innings with Philadelphia and posted a league average 4.15 ERA with strong peripherals (including a 25.2% strikeout rate) that afforded him a solid 3.68 FIP. Unfortunately for Davis, things would go off the rails for him from there as he allowed 22 runs in his next 18 appearances with the Phillies while shuttling between Triple-A and the majors until the club eventually traded him to the Pirates during the 2020 season.
Since leaving Philadelphia, Davis has bounced around the league with Pirates, Red Sox, and Twins through the end of the 2022 season. In a combined 86 innings of work, the lefty pitched to a lackluster 5.44 ERA despite a solid 24.2% strikeout rate thanks in large part to an elevated 11.7% walk rate. After a disastrous stint with the Twins late in the 2022 season where he surrendered three runs in just 1 2/3 innings of work while issuing more walks than strikeouts, Davis was designated for assignment and elected free agency.
He eventually caught on with the Astros on a minor league deal but struggled badly even at the Triple-A level with an eye-popping 11.22 ERA in 25 2/3 innings of work. That brutal stint with Houston led Davis to briefly depart affiliated ball and try his hand as a starting pitcher in independent ball. In nine starts split between the American Association’s Lake Country DockHounds and the Estrellas Orientales of the Dominican Winter League, Davis posted a 3.62 ERA in 37 1/3 innings of work with an excellent 26.7% strikeout rate.
That performance outside of affiliated ball earned him some attention from the Padres entering the 2024 season, and he signed with the club on a minor league deal back in February. He posted strong numbers at the Triple-A level with San Diego’s El Paso affiliate, pitching to a 3.10 ERA in 29 frames and punching out 29.8% of opponents despite the offense-inflating run environment in the Pacific Coast League. The Padres eventually called Davis up to the majors in late June, but his time in the big leagues hasn’t gone particularly well with a 9.00 ERA in seven innings of work where he’s walked (five) nearly as many batters as he’s struck out (six).
Now a free agent once again, it’s possible Davis will be able to catch on with another club on a minor league deal to act as a non-roster depth option for a club in need of bullpen innings down the stretch, particularly given his solid numbers at Triple-A and his status as a lefty bullpen arm.
Red Sox might want to pick him up as a starter. Pivetta 2 more homers given up today in first 4 innings, Bosox SPs on historic level
I’d like to see him come to Tacoma. The M’s have few LH options in the pen and he could be a key for a September run.
Good Luck. Ham And Egger minus types eventually run out of chances!