JD Davis, the third baseman for the San Francisco Giants, has been released by the team after winning in a salary arbitration case. The decision by a three-person panel awarded Davis a salary of $6.9 million, rather than the team’s offer of $6.55 million. However, under the collective bargaining agreement, the Giants were able to release Davis and provide him with a severance package of just over $1.1 million.
Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, stated in a video call that they try to reach agreements with all arbitration-eligible players in good faith, but sometimes it doesn’t happen. Davis, who hit .248 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs in his first full season with the Giants, became expendable after the team signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a three-year, $54 million contract.
During spring camps, Davis showed strong performance with a .400 batting average, two home runs, and six RBIs in six games. Zaidi noted that the Giants have Wilmer Flores, who can fill a similar role defensively to Davis, as well as the addition of designated hitter Jorge Soler.
While Davis may have been released from the Giants, his impressive performance and versatility on the field are sure to garner interest from other teams in the league.