Strained Oblique to End Ike Davis’ Season, Potentially His New York Mets Career

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Just as Ike Davis seemed to be straightening things out at the plate it appears that his season is over. Davis strained his right oblique muscle early in Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals and would leave the game early. Adam Rubin at ESPNNewYork.com reports that Davis will presumably miss the remainder of the season and the injury could mark the end to Davis’ career with the New York Mets.

Davis hit just .205/.326/.334 in 377 PA for New York this season, striking out 101 times in 103 games.

The 26 year old first baseman burst onto the scene when he debuted during the 2010 season. Offensively he was solid – hitting .263/.351/.440 in 601 PA with 19 HR – but it was his defensive moments that really got his name on the map. He couldn’t maintain the production consistently in the years that have followed. His struggles got so bad that the team finally optioned him down to Triple-A at the start of June. Davis needed time to “right his swing” and after a slow start, appeared to do just that. He’d hit .293/.424/.667 in 92 PA, albeit in a hitter’s park in Las Vegas. He’d hit .267/.429/.443 in 170 PA since re-joining the Mets in early July.

Earning just over $3 Million this season and failing to show some significant steps forward at the plate, questions already existed about Davis’ future with the organization. Facing a raise via arbitration, it seemed likely that Davis would be a non-tender candidate this coming winter. The Minnesota native appears like the traditional “change of scenery” candidate who will attract some degree of interest this offseason.