Ex-Giants player’s agent rips team over handling of recent release

Sep 15, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of a San Francisco Giants cap and glove during the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants dumped third baseman JD Davis and his $6.9 million salary earlier this week, but their handling of the situation has left Davis’ agent very unhappy.

The Giants released Davis on Monday, leaving him free to find a new team. Davis’ agent Matt Hannaford did not let the Giants off the hook easily, however, criticizing the team for what he suggested was a bad faith negotiation.

J.D. Davis' agent Matt Hannaford disputes that the Giants negotiated in good faith. “In my 22 years in the business I’ve never seen a club in arbitration make their one and only offer less than an hour before the exchange deadline."

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 11, 2024

“In my 22 years in the business I’ve never seen a club in arbitration make their one and only offer less than an hour before the exchange deadline,” Hannaford said, via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. “The way the Giants negotiated gave JD no choice but to go to a hearing, which he did, and which we won. It’s unfortunate the club has handled things the way they have, but I’m confident in the player JD is and the value he will bring to his next team.”

Davis won an arbitration hearing last month against the Giants. The team valued him at $6.55 million, while Davis filed for $6.9 million and won. The decision to release him means he will only see $1.1 million of that money.

On one hand, the fact that Davis went unclaimed on waivers suggests 29 other teams did not think Davis’ contract was worth taking on. That said, Davis’ agent is essentially suggesting that the Giants did not even try to negotiate an agreement with Davis, then hung him out to try when he beat them in arbitration. Davis would not be the first player to come away with a poor opinion of his team following an arbitration hearing, either.

Davis hit .248 with 18 home runs for the Giants last season. Expect him to find a new team quickly, albeit for less than the money he was set to earn before.