Yankees DFA J.D. Davis

Jason Burke | Jul 28, 2024

Jun 25, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman J.D. Davis (38) reacts after striking out to end the top of the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

J.D. Davis is having a tough year. After winning his arbitration case with the San Francisco Giants, the team released him after they signed Matt Chapman. The Oakland A's ended up signing Davis, but he landed on the IL on April 15, and lost his job at third base to Abraham Toro, who was thriving in the leadoff spot.

Without much of a spot for Davis, the A's DFA'd him on June 18, and ultimately traded him to the New York Yankees a few days later in exchange for Jordan Groshans.

In the five weeks that Davis was with New York, he spent seven days on the IL with an illness, and appeared in just seven games for the Bombers. Davis went 2-for-19 (.105) with a .227 OBP, a double, and nine strikeouts.

The Yankees announced this afternoon that they have DFA'd Davis to make room for new addition Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Now Davis will be left to look for another landing spot, his fourth of the year. In a weird twist of events, the player the A's received from New York, Groshans, has been hitting fairly well down in Double-A. Through 20 games played, the former 12th overall pick in the 2018 Draft is batting .288 with a .393 OBP and a .787 OPS.

Granted the sample size is small, but Groshans hasn't hit like this since the 2021 season (four organizations ago with the Blue Jays) when he batted .291 with a .367 OBP and an .817 OPS, also in Double-A.

The real question for Groshans will be how he performs once he reaches Triple-A once more. The question for Davis is if he can make some adjustments to be able to stick in the big leagues. Both seem to be works in progress moving forward.