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Playing for seven different teams over his 14 year career, one would think Rajai Davis saw everything in the world of baseball. But making his debut for his eighth team in the Mets on Wednesday night was definitely the one he will never forget.
Davis played for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and woke up this morning in Allentown, Pennsylvania, like any other day. He arrived at Coca-Cola Park and started warming up to cope with the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs – the Triple-A Phillies' affiliate. But while taking his BP, Davis was informed that he was being called.
The 38-year-old thought it was a joke, but it turns out Brandon Nimmo was placed on IL after MRI revealed inflammation causing neck stiffness. And the news arrived less than two hours before the first launch at Citi Field. So Davis had to pack his stuff as quickly as possible and let Flushing join the big club.
But as you would expect on short notice, he was a little late.
"About five o'clock," Davis said when asked what time he had left Pennsylvania. "I think you started at 7 o'clock, you got here [the] third round. "
Rajai Davis on his long Uber ride from Lehigh Valley, PA to Flushing pic.twitter.com/UPUF42ySRg
– SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2019
It's Davis' Uber driver, Jason, who took him the hour and 53 minutes to get to Citi Field. And while Davis said that he was not paying this high score, he really enjoyed his route to the Majors.
"Jason and I got to know each other," Davis laughs.
This is the Uber Jason driver, the real MVP of tonight's game
(h / t Jason – Facebook) pic.twitter.com/zSirUfjeDl
– SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2019
More jamming happened once Davis arrived at Citi Field. Manager Mickey Callaway explained that he did not know where to go to get to the clubhouse and that he was already late for the current match.
"I think I saw him in the fifth or the sixth for the first time," said Callaway, who Davis knows since his stint with the Indians in 2016. "He came to the third. Inside, I did not know where the clubhouse was or how to get back there. [He] I had to ask some people by which way I will return to the clubhouse. "
Once he found himself in his new sons and joined the team in the dugout, Callaway did not want to let the long trip be lost. He sent Davis to face Sean Doolittle with two riders and the Mets having already taken a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning.
With a score of 2-2, Doolittle threw a fast 94 mph shot into the center and Davis, strangled by his bat, connected. He landed on the left field fence for his first shot as Met.
"I'm really thankful and grateful for the opportunity offered by the Mets Secretariat," Davis said. "I appreciate it and I try to have an impact right away and I've been fortunate enough to be put in this position to make things happen."
To end his "whirlwind" night, as Callaway has described, Mets fans applauded Davis for a curtain. It was just appropriate.
"Thank you, New York, I love you," Davis said.
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