J.D. Davis arrived at the Giants’ clubhouse after his cross-country flight to a dap and bear hug from Logan Webb.
Davis didn’t cross paths with Webb when he went to Elk Grove High School — Webb’s Rocklin rivals — but they have been training together in a Sacramento-area facility for the past five years.
Now they’re teammates for the home stretch of this season and beyond. Davis, 29, is playing third and hitting fifth in his first game as a Giant Wednesday. While introducing himself to his new team, he’s also being introduced to the Dodgers-Giants rivalry — albeit at a point in which San Francisco trails LA by 19.5 games in the division.
“This organization has always been a winner,” Davis said. “I sure as hell want to be a winner. I want to win. But at the same time, take it one day at a time. You can’t really knock it down 18 games in one week or two weeks. Got to take it one day at a time, just grind it out. These next two months, just kind of get to know these guys, get my feet wet, get used to the vision, get used to the city.”
The past 48 hours have been a “roller coaster,” Davis said. A diminished role in New York made him available in trades in his fourth season with the Mets. He played in 66 games this season, 45 of which came as a designated hitter.
The Giants acquired Davis, along with three prospects, for slugger Darin Ruf. The bat-first player is under club control through 2024 and was part of a trade deadline in which the Giants neither bought nor sold.
The Giants hope Davis is a younger, more athletic version of Ruf who can play a bit more effectively in the field. The plan, manager Gabe Kapler said, is to have Davis play first and third base, and potentially in the corner outfield spots.
Davis posted an above average OPS+ in three straight seasons before 2022, socking a career-high 22 home runs in 2019. But he underwent surgery on his left hand last October, which prevented him from taking normal swings in the offseason and has affected his power this season. He’s taken PSI tests recently that show his grip strength is improving, and the scar tissue is set to heal around this time.
“I haven’t been playing that much this year,” Davis said. “Just having this opportunity to come out here and knock some of that rust off, get back into the swing of things. Learn and be successful, try to translate it into next year if unfortunately we’re unable to make it. That’s all we can do, is just get better and work hard.”
Davis grew up in Southern California, and his dad was a Dodgers fan. More of a video game fanatic, his favorite teams were more random.
In high school, when his dad would take Davis to Giants games, they’d poke fun at the fans in their section.
“We’d always tease Giants fans out here, and they’d always say ‘It’s going to come full-circle, you’re son’s going to wear a Giants jersey!’ And my dad’s like no way,” Davis said.
Wednesday, Davis’ dad will be at Oracle Park for his son’s game. Arrangements have been made to get him a Giants jersey. Full-circle, indeed.
