NC Dinos announce departure of Matt Davidson, former home run leader, after below-expected performance for 2026
The NC Dinos, a professional baseball team, confirmed the decision to replace their 35-year-old overseas slugger Matt Davidson. The NC Dinos organization informed that the collaboration with Davidson will be finalized after this Thursday’s home match (26) against the Kiwoom Heroes.
Davidson was part of the NC squad as a foreign athlete for three seasons, having arrived at the club in 2024, when he signed his first contract.
In his rookie season in 2024, he achieved an impressive .306 batting average with 46 home runs and 119 runs batted in (RBIs), leading the league in home runs and second in RBIs. The following year, he maintained a high level, recording an average of .293, with 36 home runs and 97 RBIs.
However, its current performance has been seen as below expectations, indicating a decline. Although his batting average of 0.286 is not considered low, the number of home runs has drastically decreased to just 8, and his slugging percentage (0.452) and on-base percentage (0.364) have not reached their previous levels. This is a common dynamic in Asian baseball, where foreign players are often evaluated for their immediate offensive impact and the quest for superior performance leads to quick roster decisions.
The NC Dinos, who currently occupy seventh place in the table, are looking for a turnaround in the second round of the season, betting on replacing their main foreign hitter.
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The NC board justified the change: “The decision to replace the athlete was taken after a detailed analysis of resource management for the 2026 season and with the aim of intensifying our competitiveness in the second phase of the championship.” The team also reported that “the process of signing a new foreign player is underway, and the official announcement will be made after the contract is concluded.”
Davidson will participate in his last game in front of the fans this Thursday (26). The athlete, who will be the fourth hitter in the lineup, expressed his commitment: “I will dedicate myself to the maximum until the end.”
Lim Sun-nam, general manager of NC, commented on the situation: “We chose to make the player change after a careful evaluation of the current squad, aiming for recovery in the second half of the season. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to Davidson for his dedication during the period he was with us.”
