NEW YORK -- Giants third baseman J.D. Davis is playing at Citi Field this weekend, marking the first time he has set foot in the ballpark since the Mets traded him to San Francisco last August.

Davis was with the Mets for three and a half seasons from 2019-22. His best year was his first season in New York, as he batted .307 with 22 home runs and 57 RBIs. During his time in New York, Davis formed a close relationship with former hitting coach Chili Davis, who was with the Mets from 2019-21. It was Chili who gave J.D. the confidence that he could be a productive Major Leaguer. Chili taught Davis the art of hitting. He emphasized the importance of hitting the ball where it’s pitched, taking it to right field if necessary.

Chili’s hitting principles are showing up as J.D. plays for San Francisco this season. In fact, he’s having an All-Star caliber season for the Giants, batting .282 with an .818 OPS and leading the team in RBIs with 44 entering Saturday’s action.

“Chili Davis means everything to me,” J.D. said. “He is the pillar of influencing me and helping me spread my wings and be a little more confident, find my footing here in the big leagues.”

J.D. wasn’t sure if he would ever find his footing in the big leagues. He started his Major League career with the Astros in 2017, but he took a back seat to Alex Bregman, who was becoming an MVP-caliber player. The Mets traded for Davis prior to the ‘19 season, and that’s where the relationship with Chili started.

“He spoke to me very highly. He was oozing me with confidence,” J.D. said about Chili. “From there on out, he was really helping me hone in on my strengths and not focusing on my weaknesses. He wanted me to focus on that right-center gap -- just staying behind the baseball and hitting it with a little more authority.

“I still speak to Chili here and there. I played golf with him about a year ago. He's still laying low right now. He is staying retired. He is drinking his wine, playing golf every weekend. I love the guy. It’s unfortunate we had to let him go [in 2021]. A lot of guys in that clubhouse loved him from top to bottom, including Pete [Alonso]. We all had career years under Chili. Chili had a lot to do with how we performed and how we turned it around in 2019 from such a so-so start to a great finish. Chili is my dog. He is great.”

Although Chili hasn’t been his coach since ‘21, J.D. still thinks about Chili’s principles of hitting. In fact, J.D. still reads the notes that he took while under Chili’s tutelage.

“When in doubt, those little quotes of, ‘Getting the tension out of my shoulders,’ or, ‘Getting the tension out of my bottom hand,’ so that way I’m more quicker and balanced with my swing [help me in the batter’s box]. It’s just like crossing the T’s, dotting that I’s with what he has taught me over the years. … I use those adjustments. I still use the advice he gave to this day.

“This man has been in The Show for a while. He knows what he’s talking about. I tried to be a sponge as much as I could, because he knows his stuff.”

If J.D. Davis makes the All-Star team this year, the first person he will think about is Chili, who he says is No. 1 when it comes to learning the art of hitting.

“I think I would cry a little bit, because of my story over the last year and a half of going through surgery and still staying in touch with him, trying to stay positive, get myself out of a hole,” J.D. said. “I kind of spread my wings this year, and really use the advice he has given me. It would mean the world to me to share it with him. It’s a blessing in disguise.”