The 2015 home run king will remain put this offseason, with free agent first baseman Chris Davis opting to re-sign with the Baltimore Orioles by agreeing to terms on a seven-year deal worth a whopping $161 million.
Davis, who has 126 home runs over the last three seasons, 15 more long balls than any other hitter, recently turned down a contract offer worth over $150 million from the Orioles in order to test the free agent market.
However, the dearth of opportunities for Davis forced the slugger to reconsider his options, ultimately leading to his return to the Charm City for likely the remainder of his career.
What is surprising about the move is the fact that it appeared that the Orioles had been content with moving on from the 29-year old.
Following Davis' initial trepidation for returning to Baltimore, the Orioles pitched an offer to free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes in the latter portion of this past week, which appeared to signal the ceasing of their pursuit of re-signing Davis.
The fact of the matter is that the Orioles will have no need to chase a first baseman for at least the next half-decade, as Davis should hunt for the home-run title for seasons to come.
After losing right fielder Nelson Cruz, who finished second behind Davis in home runs with 44 in 2015, in free agency following the 2014 campaign, it was paramount for Baltimore to lock up the biggest power threat on the market.
Davis' agent, Scott Boras, exploited this necessity to increase his client's maximum contract to seven years, $154 million to $161 million over the same amount of time, a no-brainer for the Davis camp.
Despite leading the MLB in strikeouts with 208 in 2015, Davis knocked a league-high 47 deep bombs while finishing second in the American League in runs batted in with 117.
He finished third in extra base hits in the American League in 2015 with 78, fourth in runs created (121), fourth in slugging percentage (.562), sixth in OPS (.923), and fourth in walks (84), exemplifying his nearly unparalleled value at the plate.
The eight-year veteran's most impressive campaign came in 2013, as he pioneered the league in home runs (53) and RBIs (138), earning his lone All-Star appearance.