Orioles Sign Chris Davis To Seven-Year Contract
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Chris Davis and the Orioles are together again.
Multiple people with knowledge of the situation say Davis has agreed to a seven-year, $161 million contract with Baltimore, pending a physical.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the Orioles have not announced the transaction.
The 29-year-old Davis has been with Baltimore since 2011. He hit a major-league leading 47 home runs and amassed 117 RBIs last year.
Davis became a free agent after the 2015 season, and he wondered aloud during the final week whether his time in Baltimore was up.
"I'm trying not to reminisce too much just yet," he said. "I definitely want to enjoy these last few games, just kind of take everything in, being around these guys, playing in front of our fans, and wearing this uniform. I try not to let myself look too far ahead. If I did that, it would be a lot harder the last few days and take some joy away."
The Orioles were his most aggressive suitor, offering a seven-year deal last month. Since coming to the Orioles in a July 2011 trade with Texas, Davis has been a sensational run producer and a positive force in the clubhouse.
"I've said all along, Chris is a body-of-work guy," manager Buck Showalter said. "When you get through and step back, he can do a lot of things that not many people can do. He may go some at-bats and just not look aesthetically pleasing, but he's always one swing, one at-bat away. He squares up a ball, and it goes where you can't defend it."
After Davis and his agent, Scott Boras, stalled making a decision this offseason, Baltimore reportedly made an offer this week to hard-hitting free agent Yoenis Cespedes.
Within days, Davis had himself a deal.
Davis has 203 career homers, including 126 over the last three years. He hit a career-high 53 long balls in 2013.
(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
