Khris Davis deserves some MVP consideration
Khris Davis has been at the forefront of Oakland’s surge to the top of the AL West, and he belongs in the conversation for league MVP.
A loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night dropped them one game back of the Houston Astros, but the Oakland Athletics are still 47-23 since June 1 with a roster reminiscent of the “Moneyball” era for the franchise. Khris Davis hit four home runs over a recent three-game stretch, and he’s now tied for the American League in home runs with 38 and he sits second in the league in RBI (102).
Since June 1, coinciding with Oakland’s surge, Davis is hitting .280/.357/.628 (.985 OPS) with 25 home runs and 64 RBI. Since the All-Star break, he has posted a .299/.375/.778 slash-line (1.153 OPS) with a major-league high 17 home runs and 38 RBI over that span.
Davis got MVP chants from the home crowd in Oakland during Tuesday night’s game, and A’s manager Bob Melvin felt the sentiment was well-deserved.
"Why wouldn’t you (chant ‘MVP’ for Davis)?” “I’ve been hearing some talk on some of these national broadcasts about MVP, and his name is not even brought up. I mean, how can you not? It’s ridiculous that he’s not part of that conversation."
Like the rest of his team, Davis is still operating below the radar for the most part. But his prowess as a power hitter is not new. He topped 40 home runs and 100 RBI in each of his first two seasons with Oakland, despite moving to one of the most pitcher-friendly home parks around. At his current pace, with 38 home runs and 102 RBI on Aug. 23, his career-highs in home runs (43) and RBI (110) are not long for that status.
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Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Jose Ramirez are leading the American League MVP conversation, and rightfully so. But Davis belongs there in that conversation too, even if he has little chance to actually win.