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Back when the Detroit Tigers signed Rajai Davis to a two-year, $10 million deal in December of 2013, it wasn’t a particularly exciting move. Sure, his ability to steal 40 bases was certainly intriguing, but he was coming off of a three-year stretch in which he hit only .252/.299/.369 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He did, however, have a history of hitting left-handed pitching quite well, so it appeared that he would at least be able to provide a capable platoon partner for Andy Dirks.
But when Dirks ended up undergoing back surgery and ultimately missed the entire season, Davis was given a chance to be more than a part-time player. Through 134 games, he had one of his best seasons in years, slashing .282/.320/.401 with eight homers and 36 stolen bases in a 1.4 fWAR campaign. Going by measures such as OPS+ (103) and wRC+ (103), it also marked the first time since 2009 that he was better than the league average hitter (average is 100).
Davis’ playing time was affected a bit by the additions of Anthony Gose and Yoenis Cespedes in the early goings of this season, but he has continued to make the most out of his opportunities. Through 106 games this year, Davis has slashed a solid .259/.308/.450 with eight homers, 18 stolen bases and a whopping 11 triples in a 1.9 fWAR campaign up to this point. His OPS+ and wRC+ currently sit at 108 and 104 respectively.
At the end of the season, Davis is set to be a free agent, and as of right now, the Tigers’ plans regarding left field for next year appear very unclear. After Cespedes was traded to the New York Mets before the non-waiver deadline, many thought that the Tigers would try to bring him back this winter, but his price tag may have soared higher than originally anticipated. Other soon-to-be free agent outfielders such as Jason Heyward and Justin Upton will be quite pricey as well.
Considering that the Tigers are also likely to spend on pitching this winter, more affordable options such as Ben Zobrist and Gerardo Parra would probably make more sense.
Regardless of what the Tigers decide to do, they should remain open to the idea of bringing Davis back. Although he will soon turn 35 years of age, he continues to bring a solid right-handed bat, speed and the ability to play all three outfield positions to the table. Whether he is used in a strict platoon with someone in left field or simply as a fill-in fourth outfielder, Davis can make a difference for this club in 2016.
Brad Faber is a Senior Writer and Sabermetrics Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Faber or “Like” him on Facebook.
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