Rajai Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rajai Davis |
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Davis with the Cleveland Indians in 2016
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 19, 1980 Norwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 14, 2006, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 2019, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .262 | ||
| Home runs | 62 | ||
| Runs batted in | 387 | ||
| Stolen bases | 415 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Rajai Davis, born on October 19, 1980, is a former professional baseball outfielder from the United States. He played for 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Rajai was known for his speed and ability to steal bases.
He played for many teams during his career. These included the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets. After retiring from playing, he started working for MLB in their Baseball Operations department. Rajai was a right-handed hitter and also threw right-handed.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Rajai Davis was born in Norwich, Connecticut. He grew up playing Little League Baseball in Willimantic, Connecticut. In 1991, his team, the Willimantic Little League All-Stars, won the District 11 championship. Rajai also played youth football.
In 1999, Rajai graduated from New London High School. There, he played baseball, basketball, and football. During the summer, he was part of the New London American Legion team.
After high school, Davis went to the University of Connecticut at Avery Point. He played college baseball for the Middletown Giants.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Rajai Davis was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001. He was picked in the 38th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft. He chose to sign with the Pirates instead of continuing his college baseball career.
Davis played six full seasons in the minor leagues before reaching the major leagues. He had a good batting average of .305. He also stole 251 bases out of 322 attempts. From 2002 to 2004, he was chosen for three All-Star teams at different levels of minor league play.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Pittsburgh Pirates Debut
Rajai Davis made his first MLB appearance for the Pirates on August 14, 2006. He entered the game as a pinch hitter. Two days later, he stole his first base. His first Major League hit was a double on August 29.
San Francisco Giants Experience
On July 31, 2007, Davis was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He made his Giants debut the very next night. In that game, he stole a base and threw out a runner from center field.
On August 13, 2007, Davis played against his former team, the Pirates. He had a great day, getting three doubles and two stolen bases. A few days later, he made an amazing diving catch to stop a possible home run. He even kept the ball as a souvenir! The next night, he hit his first career home run.
Davis finished second among National League rookies in stolen bases with 22.
Oakland Athletics Time
The Oakland Athletics claimed Rajai Davis in April 2008. In 2008, he stole 25 bases for Oakland. In 2009, Davis became the main center fielder for the A's. He hit .305 and stole 41 bases in 125 games. In 2010, he continued to play well, hitting .284 with 52 RBIs and 50 stolen bases.
Toronto Blue Jays Years
In November 2010, the Athletics traded Davis to the Toronto Blue Jays. In August 2011, Davis tore his hamstring while running to first base. Before his injury, he was third in the American League with 34 stolen bases.
On May 18, 2012, Davis had his first game with two home runs. He hit two homers and had four RBIs in a 14–5 win. On July 30, he hit his first career lead-off home run. This was his sixth home run of the season, a new career high for him. In August 2012, Davis had five RBIs in one game, which was also a career high. He finished second in stolen bases in 2012 with 46.
In June 2013, Davis helped the Blue Jays win their longest game in team history. He hit a single in the 18th inning to score the winning run. On July 28, he tied a Blue Jays record by stealing four bases in one game.
Detroit Tigers Period
In December 2013, the Detroit Tigers signed Rajai Davis. On June 30, 2014, he hit a special kind of home run called a walk-off grand slam. This means he hit a home run with the bases loaded that won the game immediately. It was the first walk-off homer of his career.
On August 30, 2014, Davis stole his 300th career base. He was only the second active player to steal 30 bases for three different teams. In 2014, he played in 134 games, batting .282 with 36 stolen bases. In 2015, he hit a career-high 11 triples.
Cleveland Indians Highlights
Davis signed with the Cleveland Indians in December 2015. On July 2, 2016, Davis achieved a rare feat called "hitting for the cycle." This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. It was the eighth cycle in Cleveland Indians history.
On November 2, 2016, during Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, Davis hit a game-tying, two-run home run. This happened in the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs' closer. It was a huge moment, but the Indians eventually lost the game and the series. This home run is still considered one of the most important plays in MLB history for how much it increased Cleveland's chances of winning.
Return to Oakland and Boston
In January 2017, Davis signed another one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics. He played in 100 games for them, hitting 5 home runs and stealing 26 bases. In August 2017, the Boston Red Sox traded for Davis. He played 36 games for Boston.
Second Stint with Cleveland
On February 17, 2018, Davis signed a minor league contract to return to the Cleveland Indians. He played for the Indians again in 2018.
New York Mets and Retirement
In December 2018, Davis signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. This was the team he cheered for as a kid. On May 22, 2019, he was called up to the Mets' major league team. He took a two-hour Uber ride to the stadium and arrived during the game. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter and hit a three-run home run! This amazing story got a lot of attention.
He played his final MLB game on September 29, 2019, with the Mets. In February 2020, Davis signed with a team in the Mexican League, but the season was canceled due to the pandemic.
Life After Playing Baseball
On February 1, 2021, Rajai Davis announced his retirement from playing baseball. He took a new job in the baseball operations department of Major League Baseball.
Personal Life
Rajai Davis is married to Marissa, and they have two children, a daughter and a son. They live in East Lyme, Connecticut. Davis is a Christian.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
