Mets Having 'Serious Talks' About Boosting Offense

"Top team executives met again Thursday to discuss if J.D. Davis fits their roster and 2024 agenda — and they are not doing it just as a due diligence exercise," Sherman wrote. "They have real interest in a reunion with the righty-swinger, who was officially released on Monday by the Giants not long after they signed Matt Chapman to play third base. The Mets had spoken multiple times to Davis’ representative, Matt Hannaford. A decision where Davis goes is expected in the next few days."

Fellow New York Post writer Mike Puma also revealed that outfielder Brandon Nimmo is very much on board with bringing Davis back to Queens.

“He had a great year last year, and the prospect of having him return would be awesome,” Nimmo said. “I know him very well and he’s a great guy and I think he could definitely help us out."

Davis, who is commonly regarded as an above-average hitter but below-average fielder, is being looked at as an alternative to hot-corner prospects Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. As it stands, the latter two would still make the team even with a Davis reunion, as the Mets want to evaluate their MLB-ready prospects in addition to competing for a playoff spot.

Regarding the team's goal to contend, signing Davis would be a helpful boost towards achieving that status. In 2019, his first season as a Met, he hit .307/.369/.527 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs, and a 137 wRC+. By 2022, he was struggling as the team's designated hitter and was shipped off to the San Francisco Giants in a now-infamous midseason trade for Darin Ruf.

With the Giants, Davis turned his 2022 season around and hit .263/.361/.496 with a 144 wRC+ in 49 games. Although he endured a down year at the plate in 2023 by slashing .248/.325/.413, his 23 doubles and 18 homers were the most he had since 2019; he also played a career-high 116 games at third base, and was rated five outs above average despite accounting for -11 defensive runs saved. All told, his 2.2 fWAR was his highest since 2019.

Currently, the Mets plan to have Baty as the starting third baseman and Vientos as the primary DH, but both have struggled with consistency last season. If both of them struggle again, a reunion with Davis would be a sensible move.