In rare start, 'always prepared' Davis delivers all-around performance

PITTSBURGH -- On Tuesday, while most of the Pirates were still in the clubhouse or at least inside, Henry Davis was out on the field taking swings. Later in the day, most of his teammates would come out to start their pregame work, and Davis again took another session of batting practice.

Davis wasn’t in the lineup Tuesday, but he knew he needed those extra swings. This is part of the new challenge before him, being a backup for the first extended stretch of his career.

"Honestly, [I’m] just trying to take as many swings as I can to stay as consistently in game shape as I can,” Davis explained Wednesday. “This is the first time in my career I haven't played consistently. Just making sure I'm ready to go whenever I get up there and I don't feel like I have to take a pitch to get on time.”

On Wednesday, that extra BP paid off. Davis had his first multi-hit performance of the season and drove in what would be the game-winning run. Sprinkle in a thrown-out would-be base-stealer and a deke to help get an out at home to close the fifth, and Davis’ impact was felt in all facets of Wednesday’s 3-1 Pirates win over the Reds at PNC Park.

It’s been an up and down season for Davis thus far. He hit well in Spring Training, but he lost the backup catcher's job to Endy Rodríguez, who had the extra selling point of being able to play first base. When he did join the team in mid-April, there was no guarantee if he was going to be sticking on the taxi squad or joining the team. He ended up catching five days in a row.

After that stretch, though, Davis has mostly just been the backup to Joey Bart, often catching Paul Skenes and perhaps one other starter in a turn through the rotation. It could be discouraging, but it didn’t deter Davis’ work ethic, and it paid off Wednesday.

“Those of you that see him every single day, he's out there hitting early, hitting in the cage, doing all the defensive stuff, throwing,” manager Don Kelly said. “He hasn't gotten consistent playing time, so to be able to do that in a big moment like that, to throw the guy out, come up with a big hit there to drive in a run and then the deke at home plate, [is huge].”

That sixth-inning deke deserves a closer look. With Spencer Steer at first base and two outs, Tyler Stephenson lined a double down the left field line and Steer was given the windmill to go home. Davis stood by home plate, not looking like he was ready to receive a throw. Tommy Pham and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a perfect relay to get him the ball, and like a wide receiver showing his hands late to fool a defensive back, Davis made the grab and made a quick swipe to nab Steer.

"I knew it was going to be a close play, and any time you can get a half step or get the runner to pull up, you've got a better chance to get him out,” Davis said.

All of Davis’ tools played Wednesday. The deke was his gamesmanship. In the seventh, Davis threw out Will Benson after he got a big jump. His two hits were tattooed, with his fourth-inning RBI leaving the bat at 105.1 mph.

And perhaps his greatest tool, the work ethic. Davis’ first priority in this stretch as a role player has been making sure he’s prepared for his pitching staff in case he enters the game.

“Hank's always prepared,” said Andrew Heaney, who tossed five innings of one-run ball and got the win. “Love throwing to him.”

Wednesday clinched a series win, but the team’s offensive struggles persist. Five runs in a series usually doesn’t yield two out of three, but the rotation has been clicking of late.

Hitters need to get going. If Davis can build on games like Wednesday, perhaps it could earn him more playing time.

“We don't want starters out there feeling like if they go six innings and three earned that they haven't done their job. They did,” Davis said. “We have a chance to win every time they're out there. So as an offense, just continuing to push to give them a cushion and continue to have better at-bats and come through in those moments."