Orioles' Davis nearing MLB record with 0-for-40 hitless streak

Chris Davis' never-ending nightmare keeps getting worse.

The beleaguered Baltimore Orioles first baseman failed to record a hit in two at-bats against the New York Yankees on Saturday, extending his hitless streak to 0-for-19 to begin the season and 0-for-40 dating back to September 2018.

Davis is now just six at-bats shy of tying Eugenio Velez's dubious major-league record for the longest hitless streak by a non-pitcher at 0-for-46. Velez set the mark during a two-season run with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers between 2010-11; his big-league career ended following his 0-for-37 run to start the 2011 season.

The 33-year-old Davis turned in one of the worst seasons in MLB history last year when he slashed .168/.243/.296 for the 115-loss Orioles. His most recent hit - a second-inning double off Chicago White Sox pitcher James Shields - was recorded Sept. 14.

This year, Davis has already struck out in 11 of his 19 at-bats, though he's also walked four times and recorded a pair of RBIs. During the Orioles' home opener Thursday, he struck out three times and was booed by the Camden Yards crowd.

On Saturday, Davis pinch-hit for Joey Rickard in the sixth inning and picked up an RBI by grounding into a fielder's choice. In the eighth, he came to the plate with the bases loaded and had a chance to re-write the narrative but grounded out to first base.

A two-time league leader in home runs, Davis signed a seven-year, $161-million contract with Baltimore before the 2016 season. The Orioles owe him $92 million over the next four years, $42 million of which is deferred and will be paid out in installments through 2037, according to Cot's Contracts.