J.D. Davis was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Oakland Athletics along with cash on Sunday for minor league infielder Jordan Groshans as New York sought reinforcement after first baseman Anthony Rizzo broke a forearm and Giancarlo Stanton strained a hamstring.
Davis hit .232 with four homers and five RBIs in 135 plate appearances with the A's, who signed him to a $2.5 million contract in mid-March and designated him for assignment on Tuesday. Davis defeated San Francisco in arbitration and was awarded a $6.9 million salary as part of a nonguaranteed contract, then was released by the Giants and given $1,112,903 in termination pay.
A 31-year-old right-handed hitter, Davis has a .273 average with 119 homers and 386 RBIs in eight seasons with Houston (2017-18), the New York Mets (2019-22), Giants (2022-23) and A’s.
Rizzo broke his right forearm on June 16 and is expected to be sidelined until August. Stanton, the Yankees' primary designated hitter, strained his left hamstring on Saturday.
New York called up Ben Rice from the minors to fill in at first in Rizzo's absence.
Groshans, 24, hit .232 with one home run and 15 RBIs in 50 games this year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset. He was claimed by the Yankees off waivers from Miami on Feb. 13.
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“I’m assuming that he’ll probably go to Double-A for us to play shortstop every day," A’s manager Mark Kotsay said before his team hosted the Twins. "I think as early as next week, Jack Wilson will be back with the Triple-A team. And obviously, Nick Allen’s there. So there’s some depth in the middle right now. It’s just nice to have another player that can play the middle.”
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Stanton went on the injured list for the eighth time in six seasons on Sunday, a day after straining his left hamstring.
A 34-year-old former MVP, Stanton left Saturday night’s 8-3 win over the Atlanta Braves and was scheduled to undergo imaging Sunday. Stanton doubled off the center-field wall in the fourth inning and winced when he rounded third base on Gleyber Torres’ double. Trent Grisham pinch hit for Stanton leading off the sixth.
“We know it’s at least going to be those 10 days. So we’ll see the severity of it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday. "I will say G was in pretty good spirits last night, so hopefully that’s a result of it hopefully not being too severe.”
Stanton missed 266 of 708 games in the past five seasons (38%). He appeared to be walking gingerly as he exited the locker room on Saturday night.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had said on Nov. 13 at the annual GM meetings: “He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game.”
When a visibly slimmer Stanton reported to spring training, he said succinctly: “He knows my reaction to that.”
Boone said Aaron Judge likely will see more designated days while Stanton is sidelined and Grisham will be be the primary outfield replacement after get outfield time. Grisham was hitting .113 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 77 plate appearances, making 21 outfield starts.
“This should give him that uptick of playing time," Boone said.
Stanton played in 69 of the Yankees’ first 79 games — none in the field — and is hitting .246 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs. The active leader in home runs with 420, he is in the midst of his healthiest season with the Yankees since he played in 158 games in 2018, his first after he was acquired from Miami.
“He's been that force that you want in the middle. He’s been a threat every day,” Boone said.
Stanton was sidelined during the previous five seasons due to a strained right biceps and strained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee (2019), strained left hamstring (2020), strained left quadriceps (2021), right ankle inflammation and left Achilles tendinitis (2022) and a strained left hamstring (2023).
“He’s been such a force for this offense,” said Judge, who leads the major leagues with 28 homers. "Hitting the homers, coming up clutch with guys on base — that’s a big part of his game.”
Infielder Oswald Peraza was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Boone said Jasson Domínguez would have been Stanton's roster replacement had he not strained his left oblique on June 15 with the RailRiders, an injury expected to sideline the outfielder until mid-August.
New York, which began Sunday a big league-best 52-27, had been relatively healthy early in the season. Infielder DJ LeMahieu didn't make his season debut until May 28 after breaking his right foot on a foul ball during spring training on March 16 and AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole didn't make his first start until June 19 because of right elbow nerve inflammation and edema.
