Former MLB home runs leader announces his retirement

A one-time dinger king is calling it a wrap on his career.

Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Khris Davis confirmed in an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today this week that he has officially retired from baseball. Davis also revealed that he is now pursuing a new career as a mechanic after recently graduating from the Arizona Automotive Institute.

“There was no more opportunity for me in baseball,” said Davis in the interview. “So it took a lot of searching of who I was outside baseball. I’m still young. I didn’t want to just sit at home.

“It was a challenge because I didn’t even know how to change a tire before going to school,” Davis added about his new career. “I loved cars, but didn’t know what to expect. I knew I was going to be behind. I just dedicated myself to it … I wanted to find myself outside baseball, and now I have.”

Davis, now 36, also said he would eventually like to return to baseball as a major-league coach. You can read his full interview with Nightengale here.

The righty-hitting Davis played nine total MLB seasons from 2013-21. While he spent time with three different teams (Milwaukee, Oakland, and Texas), Davis is most associated with the Athletics. He posted three consecutive 40-home-run seasons in Oakland, including leading Major League Baseball with 48 home runs in 2018. Davis also ranks 13th all-time in Athletics franchise history with 159 homers.

Granted, it has been two-plus MLB seasons now since Davis last played, in part thanks to hip and quad injuries that sapped his effectiveness. With over $58 million in career earnings and virtual cult-hero status in the Bay Area, Davis is now trading his bat and glove for a wrench and screwdriver as he moves into his new career as a mechanic.