Chris Davis is coming to town.

The Longview, Texas, native arrived with the Rangers with a bang. In 2008, he hit 17 home runs in just 80 games, batting .285.

His future looked bright.

Except for one thing. He struck out. A lot.

In 2009, he hit 29 home runs. But that led to just 59 RBIs. And his batting average was a very uninspiring .238.

He was mostly hurt in the Rangers first ever World Series year of 2010, hitting just one home run, batting .192.

The Rangers traded him mid-season 2011. It really looked lopsided the next few seasons when Chris Davis hit 33, then 53, then 26, then 47 home runs. Twice leading the American League in homers.

And twice leading the league in strike outs.

But, the last two seasons his career has been in decline. And this season, he is on pace for the worst offensive season by any hitter in major league history. That’s taking into account Rougned Odor’s 2017 season.

He comes into this four-game series in Arlington batting .157, with an on-base percentage of .242. He is widely considered worthless, and an albatross of a contract.

Even though the Rangers traded Chris Davis, they may have gotten him back, reincarnated as Joey Gallo.

It will be curious to see how Gallo develops, and if he ever rises to the level Chris Davis did for number of years with Baltimore, where he was a legitimate threat in the lineup.

They are both similar hitters. Davis hit for a bit more average. But that’s only because Gallo is hitting .196 for his career.

Gallo needs to heed the Chris Davis cautionary tale.  Once a one-trick pony forgets how to perform his one trick, he isn’t much use.

Learn another trick.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Andrew Cashner (3-9, 4.33) vs. Yovani Gallardo (5-1, 6.26)
Game time: 7:05

How the Orioles hit against Gallardo.
How the Rangers hit against Cashner.