JD Davis Wins Battle For Roster Spot
Yesterday, AJ Hinch announced that JD Davis had won the roster spot for first base over Tyler White and AJ Reed in place of the injured and suspended Yuli Gurriel. The announcement officially set the 25 Man roster in place for the reigning champion Houston Astros.
JD Davis was on fire for much of the spring, hitting .365 with 5 HRs and 9 RBIs totaling up 19 hits. The line drive back at Chris Sale in yesterday’s game that took him out of the game proved that he is ready to handle pitching at the highest level.
The move is only temporary as Gurriel heals and looks to start his 5-Game suspension dating back from the World Series. There is a chance Gurriel can skip a trip on the DL altogether and get his suspension out of the way right at the beginning. If JD Davis continues to hit like he has been, the Astros will have to decide whether to drop him down to AAA or make a spot for him on the 25 Man roster. David has a real shot to stick with the team if he performs similarly to how he did in the spring.
As for Reed and White, both performed very well this spring, but ultimately only one can win the spot. Reed showed flashes of the Reed we saw early in his minor league career, and at AAA he has little he still needs to prove but with a stacked roster it is getting harder to create an opportunity for not just him but White as well. The Astros’ minor league system is stacked with talent that is waiting for their opportunity and with this team, patience is a necessity.
For now, Davis looks to make a powerful impact in his time with the Astros. For a lineup that is already loaded from top to bottom, there is no pressure on Davis to perform. He can go out there with no weight on his shoulders and do what he does best: hit. He showed in the spring he’s very capable of doing just that.
Congrats to JD Davis on making the Opening Day roster!
Photo Credit: Tammy Tucker
