Davidson signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization on Thursday, Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports.
He can bring his total salary to an even $1 million if he hits all of his incentives. Davidson, who will turn 33 in March, spent the 2023 campaign in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp, popping 21 homers in 117 contests.
Davidson agreed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball on a one-year, $902,000 contract on Thursday, Yahoo Japan reports.
Had Davidson elected to continue his career stateside, he wouldn't have been in line for anything more than a minor-league deal that included an invitation to big-league spring training, so the 31-year-old's decision to chase the bigger payday overseas isn't a major surprise. Davidson spent the 2022 campaign in the Arizona and Oakland organizations, slashing .147/.216/.324 with a 35.1 percent strikeout rate in 37 plate appearances in the majors. He was one of the top sluggers at the Triple-A level, however, smashing 32 home runs between stops with the Diamondbacks' and Athletics' top affiliates in Reno and Las Vegas, respectively.
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Matt Davidson: Becomes free agent
Rotowire
Davidson elected free agency Thursday, per Triple-A Las Vegas' official site.
Davidson was designated for assignment by the Athletics on July 21 and spent the rest of the campaign with Triple-A Las Vegas. He managed only 37 plate appearances in the majors and posted a .147/.216/.324 line across 37 plate appearances between time with Arizona and Oakland.
Athletics' Matt Davidson: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Davidson was designated for assignment by the Athletics on Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Davidson has appeared in 13 games for Arizona and Oakland this season, hitting .147/.216/.324. As a 31-year-old corner infielder who last produced an above-average batting line in 2018, he's unlikely to generate much interest on the waiver wire.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Homers off bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Davidson went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 10-1 loss to the Red Sox.
Davidson hit for Stephen Vogt in the sixth inning and promptly broke up the Red Sox's shutout bid. Since his recall from Triple-A Las Vegas, Davidson has gone 4-for-19 (.211). He's batting just .172 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored through 32 plate appearances between Oakland and Arizona this year. Jonah Bride is expected to handle most of the work at third base for now, leaving Davidson to compete for playing time as the designated hitter.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Remains on bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Davidson isn't starting Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Davidson went 3-for-16 with a run, an RBI and eight strikeouts over his last five games, and he'll be out of the lineup for a second consecutive matchup. Jonah Bride is starting at the hot corner and batting ninth.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Could be on outs for everyday role
Rotowire
Davidson is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
After receiving a call-up from Triple-A Las Vegas last week, Davidson proceeded to start in five of the Athletics' next six games and went 3-for-17 with eight strikeouts. Though the Athletics removed a potential playing-time threat from the mix by optioning Kevin Smith to Triple-A, the hot-hitting Jonah Bride was called up from Las Vegas and will make his MLB debut at the hot corner Tuesday while Davidson retreats to the bench. In addition to the arrival of Bride, a healthy Chad Pinder could also factor into the picture at third base, potentially leaving Davidson on the outside looking in for an everyday role.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Not starting Friday
Rotowire
Davidson will sit Friday versus the Guardians, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Davidson will get a breather Friday after going 1-for-9 with five strikeouts over the last three games. Kevin Smith will start at third base and bat ninth as the team faces right-hander Triston McKenzie.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Starts against righty again
Rotowire
Davidson will start at third base and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against Atlanta, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Despite going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in his Oakland debut in Tuesday's 3-2 loss, Davidson will stick in the lineup for a second straight game against a right-handed pitcher (Ian Anderson). The Athletics could be prepared to give Davidson a look in the large side of a platoon at the position with the righty-hitting Kevin Smith, who sits for the second day in a row after going 1-for-30 with 11 strikeouts over his previous 10 contests.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Summoned from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Athletics called up Davidson from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Davidson will another shot in the big leagues after he was previously up with the Diamondbacks in late April for five games before getting designated for assignment and then electing free agency. The 31-year-old signed a minor-league deal with Oakland on May 10 and mashed during his month-long stay in Las Vegas, hitting .260/.341/.571 with seven home runs in 21 games. Parker Markel was designated for assignment Tuesday to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Davidson, who replaces the slumping Sheldon Neuse on the 26-man active roster.
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Athletics' Matt Davidson: Signs minor-league deal
Rotowire
Davidson signed a minor-league contract with the Athletics on Monday.
Davidson was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks in early May, but he'll land a minor-league role with the Athletics just over a week later. He hit .386 with eight homers, 12 RBI and eight runs over 11 minor-league games early in the season and will report to Triple-A Las Vegas.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Designated for assignment
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Arizona designated Davidson for assignment following Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Cardinals, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Presumably, Davidson is one of two players being trimmed as MLB active rosters shrink from 28 to 26 on Monday. If Davidson clears waivers, he's expected to refuse the assignment and become a free agent. He went 1-for-10 with a home run and three walks during his time with the Diamondbacks.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Sits against righty
Rotowire
Davidson was not in the starting lineup Saturday against a right-hander.
The righty-hitting Davidson made two consecutive starts at third base after his contract was selected Thursday, but those came against lefties. He homered in first at-bat Thursday and is 0-for-6 with two walks since. He's expected to share third base with switch-hitting Sergio Alcantara for now, although the Diamondbacks are exposing shortstop prospect Geraldo Perdomo to the hot corner in practice.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Makes second straight start
Rotowire
Davidson started at third base and went 0-for-3 with two walks in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Mets.
Davidson, who homered in his first game up with the Diamondbacks on Thursday, got a second consecutive start, both against left-handers. Third base has been one of many trouble spots in the order, with Davidson being the fourth body to start there. The plan in spring training had been for Josh Rojas (oblique) to start there, and the team has begun to give prospect Geraldo Perdomo practice reps at the hot corner. Davidson's at-bats will diminish when Rojas is back and/or Perdomo is deemed ready to handle the position, one which he's never played as a professional.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Homers in first game up
Rotowire
Davidson started at third base and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 4-3 win over Washington.
Davidson had his contract selected from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day and contributed immediately with a first-inning home run off lefty Josh Rogers. Third base has been a wasteland for Arizona to this point, so the righty-hitting Davidson may have vaulted himself into the mix, at least against left-handers. Until Josh Rojas (oblique) returns, at-bats are available. Rojas, meanwhile, has begun swinging a bat and may need another week before rejoining the team.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Contract selected by Arizona
Rotowire
Davidson's contract was selected by the Diamondbacks on Thursday.
Davidson has gotten off to a hot start at Triple-A Reno this year, hitting .386/.471/.955 with eight home runs, 12 RBI and eight runs in 11 games. He hit just .163 in 22 appearances with the Reds last year, but he'll be rewarded with a spot on Arizona's 40-man roster and is a candidate to get some playing time since the team has struggled offensively early in the season.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Won't crack Opening Day roster
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks reassigned Davidson to minor-league camp Sunday.
Davidson was one of three players sent to minor-league camp as Arizona pared down its group at big-league camp to 34 with Opening Day four days away. The 31-year-old corner infielder, who last saw MLB action with the Reds in 2020, is expected to begin the 2022 campaign at Triple-A Reno.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Davidson: Signs minors deal with Arizona
Rotowire
Davidson joined the Diamondbacks as a non-roster invitee Monday.
Davidson has appeared in parts of five major-league seasons but has just 47 plate appearances over the last three years, none of which came in 2021. He has decent power, but it hasn't been enough to offset a career 34.2 percent strikeout rate, as his .223/.292/.433 lifetime slash line is good for a modest 94 wRC+, a number that doesn't cut it for a corner infielder. He did look quite good for Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers' system last season, hitting .294/.365/.629 with 28 homers in 84 games, but his overall track record suggests he's likely to fill a limited role at best if he cracks the Diamondbacks' roster at any point in 2022.
