Oakland Athletics: Khris Davis and Rajai Davis Looking For Answers

The A’s struggled on their recent road trip, going 2-5. They return home against the Washington Nationals Friday night with the hopes of turning things around.

The A’s struck out an alarming 59 times during their four game series in Cleveland against the Indians. Yes, you read that correctly, 59 times.

Bob Melvin‘s job hasn’t been easy this year and any hopes of a turnaround will need to start with better plate discipline.

Khris Davis, the A’s team leader in home runs, struck out 10 times in the four game series in Cleveland. He collected just two hits in the series.

In the three games he appeared in, Rajai Davis chipped in 6 strikeouts of his own in the series. Both players with the last name Davis have been on a downward trend lately.

Khris Davis was never going to hit for a high average, but he’s been struggling as of late. The power is still there, but the plate discipline is nonexistent.

Rajai Davis was acquired by Oakland this past winter to be the team’s leadoff hitter. He’s appeared in plenty of games in the top spot, but he hasn’t generated much production.

At this point in the season, the A’s are faced with a tough decision regarding Rajai’s spot in the lineup. Do they continue to let him lead off or do they push him down in the order until he starts producing better numbers?

Or do they try to trade him?

His stat line is atrocious at the moment: .203/.247/.304, 2 HR, 12 RBI. So, maybe trading him isn’t an option, at least for now.

He hasn’t found much consistency at the plate, so his time as a leadoff hitter in Oakland may be running short.

Too Much Power For Their Own Good?

Khris Davis, meanwhile, has been a good source of power for Oakland. His 16 home runs lead the team and his .283 ISO is actually slightly higher than last year’s mark of .277.

His strikeout rate is a concerning 31.8% this season, but he has shown a little progress with his walk rate (11.2%). As stated before, though, the A’s know Davis isn’t going to hit for a high average.

Power is the his best attribute. It’s also the thing hurting the A’s offense, because power comes at a price.

The power is definitely there, but the A’s need much more than power in order to stay somewhat competitive in the AL West.

Oakland actually ranks 5th in majors with 76 total home runs. Conversely, they also rank 5th in strikeouts with 493.

The display of power has been quite amusing, but the team’s lack of discipline has been nearly unwatchable.

In order for the A’s to be successful not only in June, but for the rest of the season, they’ll need better production from their leadoff hitter and most dangerous hitter.

Both players named Davis will need to show better discipline at the plate if the A’s truly wish to escape the AL West cellar.

What do you think? Do the A’s have a problem with power or is the team simply not equipped with quality hitters? Sound off below in the comment section below!