The Royals announced Wednesday that they’ve signed right-hander Wade Davis to a minor league contract. Davis, a client of Jet Sports, will presumably be invited to Major League Spring Training and compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster..
This marks the second straight year in which Kansas City has brought back one of its former All-Star closers on a minor league arrangement. The Royals inked Greg Holland to a similar contract a year ago and reaped considerable benefit when Holland not only turned in a rebound campaign but also agreed to return in 2021 on an affordable one-year deal.
Interestingly, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reports (via Twitter) that Davis signed the exact same contract as Holland did a year ago. Davis will earn a $1.25MM salary if he makes the big league roster and can secure an additional $1.125MM via incentives. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Davis can also opt out of the contract late in Spring Training if he does not make Kansas City’s Opening Day roster.
The Royals traded Davis to the Cubs in exchange for Jorge Soler prior to the 2017 season — a deal that has paid off for GM Dayton Moore and his staff in the long run. Soler led the league in home runs in 2019 and has emerged as a key piece in the Royals’ lineup, though he’s currently controlled for just one more season. Still, the Royals will now have the potential to benefit from both players in that one-for-one swap just four years after making the deal.
Davis was quite good in what proved to be a one-year stop with the Cubs, but things went south for him not long after going to the Rockies on a three-year deal with a record-setting (for a reliever) $17.33MM annual salary. Davis racked up 43 saves in the first year of the deal but did so with a rather pedestrian 4.13 ERA. A few particularly ugly blown saves were the culprit in that lackluster mark, however, and Davis’ strikeout and walk numbers remained strong.
In the second and third years of the deal, though, the wheels completely came off, as Davis was blown up for a 9.77 ERA and a 5.37 SIERA in 47 innings. At his best with the Royals, Davis was striking out 39 percent of the hitters he faced and walking just eight percent of them. In 2019-20, he punched out 19.5 percent of opponents, walked 13.9 percent of them and surrendered 10 home runs in those 47 frames. Davis was hampered by a shoulder strain in 2020, which may have contributed to a greatly diminished 91.7 mph average velocity on his fastball.
There’s little harm for the Royals in seeing if they can catch lightning in a bottle with Davis as they did last winter with Holland and, even more so, Trevor Rosenthal. He’ll vie for a spot in a bullpen that is set to lose some notable veterans but has a handful of intriguing, young, hard throwers hoping to establish themselves in 2021.
Greg Holland 2.0
The Royals hope
Nice pick up! I know his tenure with the Rockies was, well, horrible but I think we will see a decent rebound this year.
Not his fault he played at Coors. I hope he has a rebound in KC
Since he signed on as a free agent, it actually is his fault that he played at Coors.
Technically, it is his fault he played in Colorado because he signed a contract to play there.
Very nice pickup for the Royals.
“It’s my deal here, Wade!”
Fargo!!
May as well pick up Herrera and Hochevar as well
Yup, hope HDH in 2021 has any semblance at all to HDH in 2014/2015.
I’ve never been this jacked about a minor league deal.
I think I found another storyline to follow in 2021.
bold prediction: Royals make the playoffs in 2021
Bold prediction: you will continue to type as if you were five years old.
I mean… what about it made him look like he was 5?
That’s *extremely* bold.
Right now I don’t even see them as one of the four best teams in their division.
youre that high on the Tigers? if im honest, every team in that divison save the White Sox are very mortal. Indians are retooling and Minnesota still probably finishes 2nd…but I really don’t feel too scared of them. as in they could be good with that talent, but something about them just doesnt sit right with me. KC has a rotation on tne rise and has already made offensive upgrades and could make more. that’s why I see them as a destination for Beni if they can get him for a reasonable price.
Fair enough.
Right now I have it: White Sox, Twins, Indians (too much good starting pitching to entirely discount) & kind of a tie between KC & Detroit.
Not far-fetched to see them finishing ahead of the Tigers & perhaps Cleveland, though.
But I see them firmly behind MN & CHI.
& to a greater point, as of now I have the two Wild Cards coming out of the East.
Right now I think it goes:
Sox
Twins
Indians
Royals
Tigers
The two WC teams will be the Rays or the Jays or the A’s (not because they rhyme), but I could seriously see the Royals pushing the Indians out of 3rd in the division though. Very underrated team, but just give them another year. By then Singer will be a true ace and their pitching will have formed into a monster. Give it time, but I really like that team as well.
About 180 comments per day from the last 3 posters. Lukewarm takes everywhere. Stop posting so much. None of you really ever have anything to say.
Lol
I see math isn’t your strong suit, bro.
I’m pretty sure I don’t post 180 comments in a month.
But the true irony is an accusation by you about absolutely any poster flooding the board with “nothing to say”.
Do us all a favor.
Pursue getting a BJ & a hobby. Those may help with your bizarre online fixations. Best advice I can offer.
@darkside 830 & @rangers29 –
I find it flattering to be included in such an elite grouping of posters as the likes of you two, serious. Is this what the Big Time feels like?
It feels oddly similar to the Regular Time.
Stop trying to make fake friends. No one cares about you here. There’s no connection. I told you, go out and find people in real life to connect with. You’re making everyone feel sad when you reach out like that.
How’s the quest going towards a hobby & a BJ. From here, doesn’t seem like you’re making much progress.
Of course he was bad in Colorado. Everyone is. Lol
His road splits aren’t exactly comforting.
Phantom X, who are the pitchers who’ve left Coors to become so effective?
Adam Ottavino, Rex Brothers, Wade was an all star before he went there.
Ottavino was better in Denver.
Darryl Kile
Kyle & Hampton were both pre humidor. I should have specified that. You’re accurate on both having more success after.
Ottavino’s #’s are equal or better in his 7 yrs at Coors, albeit inconsistent.
Brothers #’s with Atl/Cubs are dramatically worse after leaving Denver.
Ubaldo Jiminez found success at Coors, but struggled after he was traded.
My contention is with this notion that every pitcher who escapes Coors immediately finds success. Tyler Chatwood is the latest to disprove it. The Cubs took the bait based on his home/road splits. It’s a fallacy.
Yes, it’s tougher to pitch there, but Kyle Freeland & others have managed success there. It’s not impossible.
Hampton
Absolutely no risk. Which always makes it a good signing.
Royals have made some pretty decent moves this off season. They might not be division contenders, but definitely an interesting team to watch.
In some ways, I guess that they’re the team we wish the Pirates was.
Hell yes!
How the Phillies weren’t in on this I have no idea.
Sign Kelvin Herrera and get the old band back together.
Great bounceback candidate!
Really a nice pickup for the Royals. When they sent Davis to the Cubs years ago I think the Royals got the better end of the deal.
Rumors has the Orioles have offered contracts to some pitchers but have not signed anyone as of late. Can not believe they where not in touch with Davis.
Glad to see Wade come back to the Royals, even if he’s just their for ST.
I guess Kelvin Herrera is next?
Good place to try to re-establish value. Could be another Holland/Rosenthal type signing for KC
If he does well, and the Royals are out of contention, they could turn this into some prospects.
Yep. Relievers are one of the most liquid commodities at the trade deadline.
Well done, Dayton. Another low risk, potentially high’ish reward signing.
The Royals have some good looking young pitchers. If everyone stays healthy, they could be on the rise again.
That was the tag line first time around. Mike Montgomery headlined those prospects. Most washed out and ended up being solid relievers like Hochevar.
Bring back Hos and Moose…it’ll be a reunion…Grumpy Old Bros.
“Wader, check please!” Rex has to be jazzed to possibly say that again.