Struggling Davis booed often in Orioles' home opener

Things continue to get worse for Chris Davis.

Fans at the Baltimore Orioles' home opener on Thursday repeatedly booed the first baseman as he continued his early-season struggles.

"It's not something I was really expecting," Davis said of the booing, according to Dan Connolly of The Athletic. "But it was tough. At the same time, I heard it a lot last year, and rightfully so.

"I've said it before, I'll say it again: I understand the frustration. Nobody's more frustrated than I am. Especially a day like today."

Before the game even began, Davis heard a smattering of boos from the home crowd as he ran down Baltimore's trademark orange carpet during the announcement of starting lineups.

He proceeded to go 0-for-3 with three strikeouts against the New York Yankees and continued to hear it from Orioles fans after each of his at-bats.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the 44,182 fans at Camden Yards gave utility man Hanser Alberto a standing ovation after he pinch hit for Davis and wound up hitting a single.

"It makes it a little tougher. Especially having to hear about it all the time," Davis said of the negative attention postgame. "That was really my main goal going into spring training was really to turn the page and just focus on what (lay) ahead and try to forget about what had happened last year. It's been tougher to start the season, but there's a lot of baseball left to play.

"I'd be foolish if I just started wallowing in my own self-pity and feeling sorry for myself; I don't think anybody's feeling sorry for me right now. I think people are ready to see me turn it around and I'm ready to turn it around."

The 33-year-old Davis finished last season on an 0-for-21 skid and has gone 0-for-17 with 11 strikeouts to begin 2019.

He's currently in the middle of a seven-year, $161-million contract he signed with Baltimore in 2016.