OAKLAND -- A's designated hitter Khris Davis is a man of few words. But not around third baseman Matt Chapman.

The power the two of them possess alone combine to make a strong friendship. You notice that anytime you look into the dugout. It's a hug, then it's KD appearing to be more relaxed.

The two are connected from before the Green and Gold days. Both attended and played baseball at Cal State Fullerton.

The Oakland third baseman grew up in the area and was even a bat boy at one point before he was on the team.

"I love me some KD," Chapman told NBC Sports California on Friday during A's Media Day. "I think he's misunderstood a lot of times, and he's a tough nut to crack -- like, not everybody fully understands Khris -- and he also keeps to himself, and I think I poke at him a lot and mess with him and he appreciates that."

Davis had a rough season in 2019, one riddled with substantial injury for the first time in his career. He hit over 40 home runs from 2016 through '18, then his numbers dipped in 2019.

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Nobody on the team was, or is, worried about KD.

"Me and him just have a special bond," Chapman said. "And it's fun because I feel like I can get him to branch out, so I always take pride in being able to get KD out of his shell."