Major League Baseball announced today that Khris Davis of the Oakland Athletics has been voted the winner of the 2018 Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. The right-handed slugging Davis became the third player in franchise history to earn the prestigious award, joining Dave Parker (1989) and Dave Kingman (1984).
Davis posted a slash line of .247/.328/.555 with 93 runs scored, 132 hits, 25 doubles, 46 home runs and 118 RBI across 139 games as DH for the A's, leading Oakland to a 97-65 (.599) record and an AL Wild Card berth during the 2018 campaign. Among American League designated hitters with at least 100 at-bats, the 30-year-old finished his strong season first in runs scored, hits, total bases (297), doubles, home runs and RBI, while finishing third in slugging percentage.
"Khrush," who was acquired by the A's in February 2016, led the Majors with a career-high 48 home runs and ranked second with a career high 123 RBI. Davis became the seventh player (12th time) in Club history to lead the Majors in home runs, and the first since Mark McGwire clubbed 52 round-trippers in 1996. In addition, Davis' 48 home runs tied Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1933) for fourth-most in franchise history, trailing only Foxx's 1932 campaign (58) and McGwire's 1996 (52) and 1987 (49) seasons. The California native was the only player in Baseball this year to amass at least 48 homers and 123 RBI, and just the fourth player since 2010 to do so in a single campaign, joining Giancarlo Stanton (2017), Chris Davis (2013) and José Bautista (2010). 2018 marked Khris' third consecutive season with at least 40 round-trippers and 100 RBI, becoming the 22nd player in Major League history to post three straight seasons with those marks-or-better, and the first since Ryan Howard (2006-09). Across franchise history, only Foxx previously accomplished the feat for the Athletics (1932-34). Led in large part by Davis, the A's compiled a 42-23 (.646) record after the Midsummer Classic en route to earning the Club's first Postseason berth since 2014. The six-year veteran led the Majors and set a team record with 27 home runs across 64 games following the All-Star break.
J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox finished second in voting after hitting .297 (104-for-350) with 68 runs scored, 22 doubles, 27 home runs, 79 RBI and 44 walks over 93 games played as DH for the Red Sox this past season.
Now in its 45th season, the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award was renamed by Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig in a September 2004 ceremony at Safeco Field in honor of the retiring Martinez. Ballots are cast by club beat writers, broadcasters and AL public relations departments with nominees including all players with a minimum of 100 at-bats as a designated hitter.