Two years ago, when Austin Davis walked off the mound after allowing four runs over two innings in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the left-hander had an inkling he might have pitched at Fenway Park for the last time.
A long and difficult road through the baseball wilderness awaited him, but this weekend his journey brought him back full circle.
After nearly two years grinding in the minors and toiling in independent ball, the former Red Sox reliever was called up by the San Diego Padres ahead of this weekend’s series at Fenway Park. He made his first MLB appearance since September of 2022 on Friday night, pitching a scoreless eighth in the Padres’ 9-2 win.
“It was fun,” said Davis, who famously trash talked Juan Soto in one of the most important at bats of the 2021 season and who owns the memorable nickname Big Fudge. “To be back in the major leagues is great, to do it here is fun too because of the time I spent here.”
Acquired from Pittsburgh at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for infielder Michael Chavis, Davis played a small but important role in that season’s run to the American League Championship Series. His most notable moment came in the at bat against Soto, which came with the bases loaded and one out late in a must-win game on the final weekend of the season. After the fearsome slugger repeatedly stepped out of the batter’s box, Davis shouted at him to get a move on before limiting him to a sacrifice fly.
Soto acknowledged afterwards that Davis had gotten in his head, saying he changed his approach so he could try to "kick his (expletive)," but Davis wound up earning the win after the Red Sox pulled out a 5-3 victory. He'd later make an appearance in Boston's Game 3 win over Tampa Bay in the ALDS, and looking back those remain cherished memories for the left-hander and his family.
"Even at the time I was super grateful that, one, the Red Sox brought me in out of all the pitchers in the league, and then to give me those situations and moments like that with a trip to the playoffs on the line or a playoff game on the line," Davis said. "I'm really grateful."
The good times didn't last. Davis appeared in 69 games for Boston between 2021-22 and he was designated for assignment in August of 2022 after posting a 5.47 through 50 games that season. He went on to pitch two games for Minnesota before being cut loose again, and heading into 2023 he had to settle for a minor league deal with the Houston Astros.
Things didn't get any better that year, as Davis posted an 11.22 ERA in 20 outings before he was released in June. With no big league interest, he wound up finishing the year with the Lake Country DockHounds in the independent American Association.
"I was waiting to see if any teams were interested and none were," Davis said. "I didn't want to be done for the year so I went to indy ball and actually pitched as a starter just to get more innings."
Recognizing that his career was at a crossroads, Davis made some changes to his arm slot and pitch mix that he believed would help him become a more effective pitcher. After a strong showing in the Dominican Winter League he earned another minor league deal with San Diego, and he took full advantage by posting a 3.10 ERA with 37 strikeouts over his first 29 innings at Triple-A.
"It took me a while to hone in on what that was going to be and what kind of pitcher I wanted to be," Davis said. "But once we found a gameplan that worked I feel like the rest has been getting used to that and getting back here."
Now Davis' second act begins right back where he thought he'd never pitch again, on the mound at Fenway Park.
