Rajai Davis is a former professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. Davis was born on October 19, 1980, in Norwich, Connecticut, and grew up in New London, Connecticut. He attended the University of Connecticut, where he played college baseball for the Huskies.
Davis was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 38th round of the 2001 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2006, but he was traded to the San Francisco Giants later that year. Davis played for the Giants for two seasons before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2008.
Davis played for the Athletics for three seasons, during which he established himself as one of the fastest players in the league. He led the American League (AL) in stolen bases in 2009 and 2010, and he was named the AL stolen base leader in 2011. Davis also set an Oakland Athletics record for stolen bases in a single season with 50 in 2010.
In 2011, Davis signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent. He played for the Blue Jays for three seasons, during which he continued to be a prolific base stealer. He stole 45 bases in 2013, which was the second-highest total in the AL that year.
After his stint with the Blue Jays, Davis played for several other MLB teams, including the Detroit Tigers, the Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox. He was known for his speed and his ability to steal bases, as well as his versatility as an outfielder.
One of the most memorable moments of Davis's career came during Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, when he hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning for the Cleveland Indians. Although the Indians ultimately lost the game and the series to the Chicago Cubs, Davis's home run was a highlight of the series.
Davis retired from professional baseball in 2020, after playing for 14 seasons in the MLB. He finished his career with a .262 batting average, 1,388 hits, and 415 stolen bases. Davis was known for his speed and his ability to steal bases, and he was a valuable asset to the teams he played for throughout his career.
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