Athletics' Davis done with nickname: 'Honestly, I killed Khrush'
Oakland Athletics slugger Khris Davis isn't feeling his moniker "Khrush" anymore despite belting 40-plus homers in three straight seasons from 2016 to 2018.
"I can say I've put him in the past," Davis said of his persona, according to John Hickey of Sports Illustrated. "Honestly, I killed Khrush. I'm just excited to be a good teammate to my team. I'm glad I don't have to be Khrush because Khrush is not who I wanted to be. It's who someone else tagged me as.
"If I could talk to the kid in me, which I do a lot, I would say, it’s all about playing the game that you love. It's not about being Mr. .247, you know? It's been a long time, and I'm exited to be someone new, or to just be me. I just want to be true to me and be true to my team. I don't feel like I have to live up to certain expectations."
Davis hit .247 in each campaign from 2015 to 2018, but he slashed .220/.293/.387 with 23 round-trippers in 2019. He believes that production decrease is a sign it's time to move on from his nickname.
"It's behind me, and I'm looking forward to a new season," he said.