J.D. Davis backing up lofty goals with huge April

This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado’s Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When manager Gabe Kapler and infielder J.D. Davis went out for a meal during Spring Training, Kapler asked Davis what his goals were for the season. Davis' ambitions were threefold: Establish himself as an everyday player; win a Gold Glove Award; and be one of the best hitters in the league.

At the time, Davis’ goals felt lofty, as he didn’t seem to have a clear path to regular playing time with LaMonte Wade Jr. and David Villar expected to get the first crack at the starting jobs at first and third base, respectively. But several injuries have forced Wade to play more outfield than expected, creating an opening for Davis to get plenty of looks at third base early this season.

So far, the 29-year-old slugger is making the most of the opportunity. Davis entered Tuesday batting .311 with a .960 OPS and a team-high four homers and 13 RBIs over 14 games this year. He’s also impressed with his glove at third, where he’s made several sparkling defensive plays during the Giants’ current road trip to Detroit and Miami.

“Coming off the sort of part-time player that he was for us last year and the part-time player that he was for the Mets, it was hard to visualize some of the goals that he had,” Kapler said. “Because how was he going to be that regular of a player for us? But since the season began, he’s played Gold Glove-caliber defense, and he’s been arguably one of the better bats in all of baseball.”

Davis, a right-handed hitter who hails from Elk Grove, Calif., credited his April surge to an adjustment he made after being acquired from the Mets in exchange for (now-teammate) Darin Ruf at the 2022 Trade Deadline.

“I’ve always labeled myself as a second-half kind of guy where the weather starts warming up and I start hitting a little bit better,” Davis said. “But right now, I’ve made some changes in approach and mechanics. I’m getting my foot down a little bit earlier, which helps me recognize pitches a little bit quicker. With my kind of strength and my kind of bat path, I’m not trying to crush the ball like I was last year. It’s more so just getting the barrel to the ball and being shorter to it. I’m seeing the results right now.”

Kapler said the Giants always believed Davis could develop into a strong defender at third, describing him as a “physical guy over there with a cannon.” Davis said he thinks he’s gotten more comfortable there as a result of being able to consistently dissect lineups and better anticipate which batters are most likely to hit the ball to him in certain situations.

“I really just needed reps and to read swings and catch up to the speed of the game,” Davis said. “I’ve always said that. I just needed some more reps.”

The question now will be how the Giants will continue to find playing time for Davis once they start getting back to full strength. Still, Kapler sounded confident that he’ll find ways to keep Davis’ bat in the lineup, especially now that he’s showing he can be more than a platoon piece for the club.

“Obviously, it couldn’t be a better start to the season,” Kapler said. “If this is who J.D. is going to be, it’s going to be a really good thing for the Giants.”