Elephant Rumblings: Khris Davis retires from baseball

MLB news roundup

Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

Khris Davis was the last Athletic to hit 40 home runs in a season, and only he and the legendary Jimmie Foxx ever did so in three consecutive seasons with the A’s. Davis exceeded the mark each year from 2016 through 2018 and led all of MLB during that period with 133 homers.

Khrush hasn’t had an MLB at-bat since 2021, and he told Bob Nightengale at USA Today that he is done with baseball. The 36-year-old former slugger, who made over $60 million in his baseball career, recently graduated from the Arizona Automotive Institute and plans to pursue his passion for cars as an auto mechanic.

Davis naturally became an A’s fan favorite with all those dingers. One of my fondest memories of Khrush was when he hit this walk-off grand slam to complete an A’s comeback against the Rangers in 2016. Pandemonium ensued at the Coliseum as well as in my living room.

Mark Polishuk at MLB Trade Rumors noted yesterday that the two-year, $33.5 million deal the A’s made with Davis in 2019 was the only extension the team has given any player in the past decade. Unfortunately, the deal was a bust for the A’s. I remember Khrush injuring his hip in May of that year when he slammed into a railing in left field during a game against the Pirates. He never seemed the same after that.

Davis only managed to hit 23 home runs in 2019, less than half his total of 48 the season prior, and his OPS+ plummeted from 137 to 83. The struggles only worsened from there. Khrush was traded to the Rangers in 2021, but the change of scenery didn’t help. Khris was last seen playing in the Mexican League and the Atlantic League in 2022, and apparently he does not aspire towards any comeback at this point.

Khrush played a key role on the last great Oakland Athletics team. I will always think back fondly on that time, when Davis and teammates like Matt Olson and Matt Chapman led the team back to competitiveness in the latter half of the 2010s. It’s tempting to wonder how much farther into the 2019 and 2020 postseasons the A’s could have gone with Khris Davis in full effect.

Athletics Nation salutes Khris Davis aka “Cap’n Khrush,” and wishes him a smooth cruise down the road ahead!

A’s Coverage:

• A’s drop series finale to Mariners 8-4
• It’s Fun When “Let The Kids Play” Works
• Nightengale’s notebook: Former home run champ Khris Davis following new dream: auto mechanic
• Khris Davis Announces Retirement
• A’s top prospect is on the fast track to MLB
• Flaws in Las Vegas Relocation Continue to Emerge for Oakland A’s

MLB News & Interest:

• Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee suffers separated shoulder in collision with the wall
• Pirates prospect Paul Skenes allows 3 runs, shows dominant stuff in hyped big-league debut ($)
• Speedy turtle invades outfield, stops play at Single-A game in Bradenton ($)
• Dodgers Notes: Ohtani, Heyward, Miller
• Kris Bryant Discusses Injuries, Rockies Tenure
• Dylan Bundy Retires
• Masataka Yoshida Avoids Surgery On Thumb, Facing Extended Absence
• Max Scherzer Receives Cortisone Shot Due To Nerve Irritation
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster moves.

No bueno.

New attitude.

Biggest Mothers Day in A’s history?

Turtle crossing in the outfield!