The Royals announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Wade Davis. As per the terms of his minor league deal signed back in January, Davis will earn $1.25MM in guaranteed salary and can earn up to $1.125MM more in incentives. No corresponding move was required, as K.C. had open space on its 40-man roster.
With both Greg Holland and now Davis back in the mix, the Royals have reassembled two-thirds of the Law Firm bullpen that played such a huge role in the team’s back-to-back AL pennants in 2014-15. (Kelvin Herrera, the other “partner” in the firm, retired in February.) Holland enjoyed a fine bounce-back season in 2020 after signing a minors deal with Kansas City last winter and returned again on a one-year, MLB contract this offseason.
The Royals hope a similar turn-around is in the cards for Davis, who tossed six scoreless innings in Spring Training, albeit with three walks to two strikeouts. Davis is looking to rebound from a rough three-season tenure with the Rockies that saw the righty post decent numbers in 2018 before struggling badly over the last two years. 2020 was the low point, as Davis spent time on the injured list with a shoulder strain and was crushed to the tune of a 20.77 ERA over only 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Though Holland is expected to once again factor into Kansas City’s late-game picture, Davis is being eyed for more of a standard middle relief role, and will have to pitch well to earn more higher-leverage innings. Davis, Holland, and Jesse Hahn are the experienced hurlers within an overall pretty young K.C. bullpen. Ervin Santana is another veteran in camp on a minor league contract, and he also still has a shot at breaking camp with the team.
Jake McGee 2.0?
I will die if Wade Davis is lights out. Colorado’s pitching is cursed
Royals getting the band back together.
This is the type of contract all players should get with incentives as a means to bigger money. Davis practically stole $51 million from Colorado the past three seasons. Colorado thought they were investing in a good relief pitcher, but instead got a POS arm. Good luck KC Royals!
Glad you are not bitter or take things personal about the Rox spending their own money.
Davis should give a refund of some sort to the Rockies
He was a complete disaster.
No moreso than Chris Davis
He should.
– Mike Hampton
To be fair, his first year in Colorado was solid. He was literally the best reliever in baseball and had two of the best statistical seasons in history, so I do t think you can fault them for the decision.
He’s back! Who doesn’t love to see players go home to the team they had their best years with?
It will be interesting to see how McGee and Bryan Shaw pitch this year.
Both signed big contracts with the Rox and bombed in the thin air of Coors.
Are they good arms that are no more, or merely victims of playing in Colorado?
i daresay the Rockies narrative is all wrong. they did exactly what they needed to to get good RP but it simply backfired.
McGee was already very good last year with the Dodgers.
I just looked at Santana’s BR page. As an angel fan I had fond memories of him. But man, has there ever been a pitcher with as much variation in his yearly stats who has pitched as long as he has? ERA in the 5’s followed by ERA in the 3’s.
run it back
As long as self confidence is a thing guys will take the money grab from the Rox believing it won’t happen to them.
And then try to salvage the ol’ career after.
Fearless forecast 2.80ERA.
Another example of a guy who should never have been given such a big contract. I believe it was inked in one of those off seasons where fans were shouting collusion… maybe those “cheap” owners we’re actually onto something.
Herrera is only 31 and will probably be warming up in the bullpen if they Royals have a solid April.