Jul 26, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Austin Davis throws a third-inning pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Padres Sign Veteran Left-Handed Pitcher in Free Agency

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Maren Angus-Coombs | Last updated Jan 23, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The San Diego Padres made a minor league move this week, signing reliever Austin Davis to a contract, according to a report from FanSided's Robert Murray.

Davis appeared in seven games for the Padres last season. He gave up eight runs on six hits with six strikeouts and five walks.

San Diego brings Davis back after designating him for assignment in late July.

The most intriguing thing about Davis isn’t his pitching — it's his nickname, "Big Fudge."

The Padres are signing left-hander Austin Davis to a minor-league contract, source says. Davis gets an invite to spring training.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 20, 2025

“Well, I was a little fat coming out of college,” Davis told NBC Sports Philadelphia after announcing his "Players' Weekend" nickname in 2018. “I was pushing 255, so I was a little overweight, and there was one instance that kind of made it stick." (He went on to add that he lost the weight while pitching in Nicaragua during the 2015 offseason.)

The story doesn't stop there.

“We were at a pool party and I sat down on a chair and the chair broke out from under me and that kind of solidified 'Big Fudge.' They always called me fat or tubby, just joking, but when I broke through a chair, that’s when 'Big Fudge' was born, I guess you could say," he added, explaining that the name was also used in the television show "How I Met Your Mother."

Davis made his return to the majors with the Padres in 2024, having not pitched in the big leagues since 2022. Over five MLB seasons, he has recorded a 5.61 ERA. While he has demonstrated the ability to miss bats with a 25 percent strikeout rate, he has also struggled with walks (11 percent) and home runs (1.25 HR/9).

A product of Cal State Bakersfield, Davis was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies as the 352nd overall pick in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He spent three seasons with the team, making 50 appearances in the majors.

With six seasons of MLB experience, Davis has played for five different teams. Along with the Padres and Phillies, he has also pitched at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, and Minnesota Twins.