A’s free agents: Khris Davis, Mike Fiers head to Mexican League

A pair of prominent former Oakland A’s are continuing their careers internationally.

Slugger Khris Davis and pitcher Mike Fiers have signed to play in the Mexican League for the 2022 season, their new teams announced. Fiers joined the Leones de Yucatán on March 24, and Davis became a member of the Diablos Rojos de México this morning.

Both players had a tough time in the majors last summer. Fiers was limited by injury and only made two starts, while Davis was traded to the Rangers, cut by them in June, and returned to Oakland, finishing the year with just three homers. But they’ve both put together impressive MLB careers, including memorable highlights with the A’s, and they’re out to show they’ve got something left in the tank in their mid-30s.

Fiers will pitch for the Leones de Yucatán, who finished runner-up for the league championship each of the past two seasons (2019 and 2021, with the 2020 campaign canceled during the pandemic). Before that they won a title in 2018, in the spring half of a split-season, with former A’s hurler Chad Gaudin recording the save in the clinching victory. In the club’s tweet announcing the signing of Fiers, they leaned hard into the cat-tail beard, as one should.

Fiers credentials: A decade in the majors, over 1,100 innings of league-average work worth around 11-12 WAR, two no-hitters, a ring* with Houston, and helped lead three Oakland teams to postseason

Meanwhile, Davis brings his bat to the Diablos Rojos de México. They last won the league championship in 2014, but they’ve been a winning team ever since and have been climbing up the postseason bracket over the past few years. The club notes that Davis is the first MLB home run champ to play for them.

Davis credentials: Nine years in majors, 221 homers and a 117 OPS+ worth around 10 WAR, led MLB in homers in 2018 (with 48), only player in Oakland history with three straight seasons of 40+ homers, won 2018 Edgar Martinez Award as best DH, and helped lead three Oakland teams to postseason

Best of luck to Davis and Fiers in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol!

With Opening Day just a couple days away, here’s the updated list of A’s free agents, including info for those who signed somewhere:

• LHP Andrew Chafin (DET, 2/$13m)
• LHP Jake Diekman (BOS, 2/$8m)
• RHP Mike Fiers (to Mexico)
• RHP Yusmeiro Petit
• RHP Sergio Romo (SEA, 1/$2m)
• RHP Trevor Rosenthal
• RHP Burch Smith (to Japan)
• C Yan Gomes (CHC, 2/$13m)
• UT Josh Harrison (CHW, 1/$6m)
• 2B Jed Lowrie (RE-SIGNED, OAK, 1/$1m)
• OF Mark Canha (NYM, 2/$26m)
• OF Starling Marte (NYM, 4/$78m)
• DH Khris Davis (to Mexico)
• DH Mitch Moreland

One of the remaining available names, Rosenthal, is drawing interest around the league lately.