Team-Player Reunions to Keep an Eye on in 2017
By Keaton Moore
Rajai Davis – Oakland Athletics
Coming off another one-and-done deal with the Cleveland Indians, outfielder Rajai Davis agreed to reunite with the Oakland Athletics. Seven years since leaving the East Bay Area, Davis signed a one-year, $6 million deal to return to Oakland.
Before his first stretch as an Athletic, Davis spent 2007-2008 across the Bay Bridge with the San Francisco Giants. In the midst of 2008, the Athletics selected Davis off waivers from their Bay Area neighbor. He played for Oakland through 2010, during which time he shone brightest thus far in his career.
Overall, Davis batted .287 with 72 extra-base hits and 119 RBIs in 369 games in the green and gold. Moreover, he ranks ninth on the Athletics all-time steals list with 116. In his first full season with Oakland, Davis batted a career-high .305 while stealing 41 bases. The following season, he stole an additional nine bags to put up a career-high 50 stolen bases in 2010, the most since Rickey Henderson stole 66 in 1998.
His phenomenal success made him the centerpiece of Oakland’s three-man trade with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. He went on to play for the Detroit Tigers before his impactful one-year stint with the Cleveland Indians.
He led the American League with 43 stolen bases and became the fourth oldest ballplayer to lead the league in steals since Henderson in 1998 (66) and Eddie Collins in 1923 (48) and 1924 (42). Furthermore, he drastically improved his power numbers by hitting a career-high 12 home runs, including his loudest during Game 7.
Although he ended up on the losing side of the World Series, he satisfies Oakland’s need for an outfielder. His unique personality encapsulates the Athletics revolving-door strategy and both sides are excited for their reunion.