J.D. Davis has wondered if he'll be on the NY Mets in 2022, but he's not worried about it

NEW YORK — After every Mets game, bench coach Dave Jauss goes around the clubhouse filling in players on what they should expect for the next day’s game. He might tell one player they’re in the starting lineup, then tell another they should be ready to come off the bench in a high-leverage spot, then tell a third to prepare to be substituted into the game at any moment. 

On many recent days, Jauss has informed Davis he’ll be coming off the bench. 

Is it disappointing? 

“A little bit,” Davis said on the dirt in front of the home dugout at Citi Field before Sunday’s game against the Yankees. “Obviously everybody wants to play, but at the end of the day when it comes down to it, you’re just like, all right, well, there’s eight spots.”

Davis has only seen his name in the starting lineup twice in September. Of course, he wants to play. Who wouldn’t? He’s a competitor. But multiple times during an interview, he assured he understood why he hasn’t been in the lineup much lately. 

He knows Jonathan Villar has swung a hot bat, and that Villar has played third base because the rest of the infield is crammed. “For right now, it’s a little different,” Davis said. “I didn't expect to not play that much, but the team was winning and Villar was banging, so I can’t complain.” He’s not bitter. 

Entering Sunday, Villar had hit .290 with an .818 on-base plus slugging percentage since the All-Star break. He’d hit six doubles, a triple and eight home runs while also driving in 21 runs during that span. In 44 games batting first before Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees, Villar had hit .293 with 10 doubles, a triple, seven homers and 14 RBIs. 

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This has left Davis, who began the season as one of the team’s hottest hitters before injuries set him back, on the outside. (A crazy note here: Davis is actually batting .297 with an .855 OPS this season, though his 165 at-bats are a much smaller sample size than those his teammates have logged to this point).

“I’ve always said this: I’ll do whatever the team needs to win because, when you’re up here in the big leagues compared to the minor leagues, it’s all about winning when you’re up here,” Davis said. “It speaks for itself the way that Villar was heating. He was on an absolute hot streak and he still is.” 

The Mets’ recent Davis-less lineups perhaps have you asking a question: Will he be on another team next season?

“That topic has crossed (my mind), seeing what would happen, especially with Villar coming over and really taking over,” Davis said. “You kind of think about that for a second. Will it be a little upsetting, a little sad? Yeah, of course. But this game is a business and I don’t have anything to control.” 

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And what about his career as a whole? Davis is 28. He’s still young but he’s years removed from being an up-and-coming prospect. 

Has he thought about that?

“Yeah, a little bit,” he said. “That topic has come across my mind a little bit. But then again, teams were asking for me (at the trade deadline). I was getting shopped, so I know that, and I know which teams. When you sit there and you’re not playing but you have other teams wanting you, it’s just like, all right. 

“I’ll start freaking out when nobody wants me.”

For now, Davis is trying his best to be a great teammate. He’s helping guys get the correct information on opposing pitchers while staying ready for his opportunity. Each day, he’s working on his swing and doing early defensive work to stay sharp. 

In this recent stretch, he hasn’t been a starter.

But he doesn’t fear it’ll hurt his career as a whole. 

“I’m learning,” Davis said. “It’s not the end of the world and I’m not a finished product right now. I don’t think I’ve peaked at all. I’m still working on my swing, still working on my defense. 

“I think there’s plenty of more years under my belt.”

Brandon Nimmo running at 90 percent

Brandon Nimmo on Sunday said he is running at 90 percent. He also hit on the field for the first time since suffering a hamstring strain. 

He's still ahead of the normal timeline for an injury like this. 

“I know I’ve definitely surprised (the athletic training staff)," he said. "Things have been going really well."

Nimmo said the Mets have three more boxes he needs to check before returning. The final one, he said, is an up-down, during which he'll do some baseball activities, then sit down for a bit, then get back up and run around again. This simulates the downtime in games.  

Of course, Nimmo is anxious to return. The Mets entered Sunday five games back of the first-place Braves. 

“I’m not going to give up until we’re totally out of it," Nimmo said. "I know baseball’s a crazy sport, crazy things can happen. Those are the stories that we really hold onto and we really enjoy. I’d love to be a part of one of those stories. I won’t give up."

Jacob deGrom update

Manager Luis Rojas on Sunday said Jacob deGrom could throw off a mound this week. 

DeGrom continues to go through his throwing progression.

Justin Toscano is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Mets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: toscanoj@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @justinctoscano