Three-time All-Star and 2015 World Series champion Wade Davis announced his retirement after a 13-year MLB career Wednesday (via a tweet from the Royals).
Davis, 36, began his pro career as a third-round pick by the Devil Rays back in 2004. He ranked not only among Tampa Bay’s top prospects but among the best farmhands in all of baseball from 2007-10, while developing as a rotation hopeful in a perennially strong Tampa Bay system.
After a strong run through the minors, Davis debuted as a 23-year-old in 2009, going on to enjoy some success as a member of the Rays’ rotation for the next couple of seasons. From 2009-11, Davis started 64 games and pitched to a 4.22 ERA out of the Tampa rotation — albeit with lackluster strikeout and walk rates, as well as less-flattering marks from fielding-independent pitching metrics.
A move to the bullpen in 2012 brought about a sub-3.00 ERA and nearly doubled Davis’ strikeout rate, but the Royals still had designs on moving him back into the rotation when acquiring Davis and teammate James Shields in what remains one of the more surprising and impactful blockbuster trades in recent memory. Shields, controlled two years at the time, and Davis (controlled for three) went to the Royals in exchange for then-prospects Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard. It was a massive deal that had long-term implications for both clubs — a trade that set the stage for Kansas City’s eventual back-to-back World Series appearances.
Davis didn’t fare too well in his return to starting pitching, as his first season with Kansas City culminated in a 5.32 ERA in 135 2/3 innings. The Royals put Davis back in the ’pen following those struggles, and Davis joined Greg Holland, Kelvin Herrera and (in 2015) Ryan Madson in anchoring some of the most imposing bullpens of the past decade. The dominant relief corps that Kansas City rode to a 2014 World Series loss and a 2015 World Series title, in many ways, helped to drive the emphasis teams place on cultivating a deep collection of power-armed relievers for ideal postseason usage.
Davis not only thrived in his return to the bullpen — he broke out as one of the best relief pitchers on the planet. He posted a flat 1.00 ERA with a 39.1% strikeout rate in 2014 — a brilliant strikeout rate even by today’s standards but a nearly unparalleled mark back in ’14, when the leaguewide strikeout rate was nearly four percent lower than at its recent peak in 2020. Davis finished eighth in Cy Young voting that season and somehow followed up with an even better year in 2015, when he posted a sub-1.00 ERA and landed sixth in AL Cy Young voting.
Davis’ dominance extended well beyond the regular season in that pair of World Series campaigns with Kansas City. He was almost comedically overpowering in the postseason, performing on a completely different level than the opposing lineups through which he breezed. In 25 innings of postseason play from 2014-15, Davis allowed one earned run on just 14 hits with a staggering 38-to-5 K/BB ratio.
The Royals embarked on something of a rebuild in the 2016-17 offseason, as most of their World Series core reached or was nearing free agency. That prompted the Royals to flip Davis to the reigning World Champion Cubs, netting eventual American League home run leader Jorge Soler in return. Davis’ dominance largely continued in Chicago. In all, from 2014-17, Davis made three All-Star teams while pitching to a 1.45 ERA with 79 saves and a 33.1% strikeout rate in 241 1/3 regular-season innings (plus plenty of postseason mastery).
It was wholly unsurprising that he was in demand as a free agent that winter, and the Rockies rewarded Davis with a three-year, $52MM contract that established a new average annual salary record for a reliever at $17.33MM. Davis led the National League with 43 saves in 2018, his first season with the Rox, but things unraveled thereafter. Oblique and shoulder injuries weighed Davis down in subsequent seasons, and the Rockies released him in Sept. 2020 with just weeks remaining on that three-year pact.
The 2021 season marked something of a full-circle campaign for Davis, who returned to the Royals on a minor league deal and broke camp in the team’s bullpen. Forearm and continued shoulder troubles sent Davis to the injured list on multiple occasions, however, and his once-96.5 mph heater sat at a greatly diminished 92.8 mph. Davis managed 42 2/3 innings in relief, but he was hit hard and finished out the season with a 6.75 ERA.
All told, Davis will conclude his career at 63-55 with 141 saves, 270 games finished, a 3.94 ERA and 929 strikeouts in 990 1/3 regular-season innings. He tacked on an additional 40 innings of 1.80 ERA ball, four wins, eight saves and 57 strikeouts in a sensational postseason career. Davis made more than $87MM in a 13-year career and will forever be remembered by Royals faithful for the indelible role he played in Kansas City’s baseball renaissance in 2014-15.
Photo courtesy of Imagn/USA Today Sports.
Congrats!
One of the most truly dominant closers I’ve ever seen. Was automatic everytime he went out there.
Totally agree he was automatic. Especially the last four years. He was an automatic out. I can’t even count the number of times he came in to close a game, gave up the lead, and his manager had to come in and pull him out of the game for a replacement. It was seriously automatic every game he came into
Taco – This is such a sad take on what was a very good career, focusing not on his many successes but his late-career struggles.
Yeah, and Willie Mays couldn’t hit for crap his last season for the Mets. What a bum, right?
Jeez, imagine a guy running his mouth about an excellent closer that was injured a lot towards the end of his career…
What’s the matter, did Mommy and Daddy not love you? Maybe you’re one of those trust-fund babies that didn’t get everything. You sound like their ilk.
Be better. Get out of the basement. Learn baseball.
With that said, congratulations to Mr. Davis on a fine career. From a White Sox fan.
Very classy. Be better!
He wasn’t a fan of the guy his last couple years so somehow he lives in a basement?
Be better.
With that said stop projecting onto other people. From a Boston Bruins fan.
The thing is, he was a dick about it. A player can’t help it if they’re injured. He makes it sound as if he purposely played badly. Besides, even if a player IS healthy, Coors is usually where pitchers go to die, as the saying goes. It’s classless and clueless to run ones mouth about a guy that played great until he got hurt. Especially on a retirement announcement. You be better, I’m just fine thanks.
Palehose – I didn’t like his take, but…
“did Mommy and Daddy not love you?” Maybe you’re one of those trust-fund babies that didn’t get everything.”
“Get out of the basement. ”
“he was a dick about it”
To me, that doesn’t add up to “I’m just fine.”
That’s fair enough.
It’s just ridiculous when people go after players that were injured. Davis was great and, at one time, untouchable. For him to not even give credit on that and then make it sound like he just wasn’t any good in such a condescending way wasn’t much better.
I agree completely.
I’m sure Wade’s accomplishments pale in comparison to what you’ve done in your parent’s basement over the last several years.
Petroleum jelly and a bag of tube socks?
Thanks GB. You are right I could have worded it better.
Let’s get this party started
Why are you telling yourself to be better?
Pale:
“It’s just ridiculous when people go after players that were injured. Davis was great and, at one time, untouchable. For him to not even give credit on that and then make it sound like he just wasn’t any good in such a condescending way wasn’t much better.”
See, that is what you should have said the first time! Not the Mommy and Daddy crap.
Like he had a choice.
Davis was dominant when it mattered most for the Royals (all of 2015)
Enjoy retirement
HOF
Royals HOF, certainly.
Great career. He reestablished himself as a relief pitcher, won a ring and got paid. Much respect.
Congrats on a career in the MLB! Totally fleeced the Rockies on that 3 year 52 million contract and pitching horribly through it. Best of luck on another adventure.
The money was well deserved. He didn’t fleece anyone. All of the Rockies relief signees that year were pretty bad moving forward. He was also injured a lot on the Rockies. Choose your words more wisely, friend. Fleeced is a poorly worded representation of that contract.
I’m wondering if Tacoshells is/was a member of the Rockies front office.
Yeah blame the player for taking a huge payday. Definitely don’t put any of that blame on the incompetent team that handed out the contract
Taco–that’s pretty much exactly $52M more than you are making hanging out in mom’s basement waiting for an MLBTR story to troll on.
Look mom I’m on mlbtraderumors
That’s just the system. How much did he get paid when he was the best reliever in baseball? Usually it evens out.
Led the league in saves his first season in Colorade, so he only “fleeced” them out of 35 mil. That’s less than what Ian Desmond robbed them for.
Taco – People don’t seem to like what you say about Davis, but I tend to agree with you. He took Colorado’s money and then took a nose dive on the mound. I did have a great deal of respect for him until then. Just another typical free agent who took the money and ran. His legacy will be tainted forever, IMHO.
Oh get real man. That is an absolutely absurd point of view.
Dusty – ZZZ. You guys who support deadbeat free agents bore me to sleep.
Hineybird..
Thanks.
If you’re unhappy in life, it’s not wade’s fault, also not going to improve anything by trying to our people down.
Change your attitude, change your life. Or maybe just go troll on Twitter
Dusty, once again, ZZZ. Davis ended his career on the worse possible sour note. My attitude is fine.
Lol @jerrybird … as I always say, your opinion is valid albeit being a garbage one. Free agents don’t get paid for future earnings. It’s for what they did in hopes to replicate it. If you don’t understand that the risk always goes to the team then I don’t know what to say. Being a professional is hard. He was the best reliever in the game for 4 straight years. Hating causes heart disease homie.
Steve – I appreciate what you have said. Garbage? Perhaps, but It drives me crazy when free agents don’t hold up their end of a deal. Owners promise big bucks in return for good play. Just doesn’t happen all that often. But when they do produce, then I think it is a fair deal. Makes me appreciate Bryce Harper a lot more now than before.
Steve – It isn’t hate, it is disappointment, which also causes heart disease, but it just cannot be avoided sometimes.
Do you think he flopped intentionally? Pitchers are good until they are not, that is how it works.
Mannybeing – I saw an interview years ago on ESPN. It set the tone for my attitude. The player, who I cannot remember his name, said that the goal for most major league players is to have that one good season so they can cash in on free agency, then they don’t have to try as hard. Man, that stunk and I have been siding with ownership ever since.
And yes, I think Davis flopped. That is how it works.
His move to the pen prompted fans everywhere to think if their team’s bad starter got moved to the pen, they would be great, too.
Respect. Nice career, enjoy retirement!
Can’t say I like him as a tigers fan. But a heckuva pitcher.
As a white Sox fan, I can agree
One of the better moves by Epstein to aquire Davis for the cubs.
Happy trails and enjoy your retirement Wade. One of the best relievers, if not the best, in baseball during those Royals runs.
Nice one Steve Adams – really well written appraisal of Wade Davis’ career….
Such a thrilling but comfortable feeling as a Royals fan to watch him dominate those years. Great guy too. Mostly quiet, didn’t really even like interviews and definitely not nonsense but smiled easily and often.
Most players don’t get to go out on top but Davis is Forever Royal in my book.
Nice career! Hope he enjoys his retirement. Thanks for all of the entertainment through the years!
87 mill, call him PAID Davis!
Great career though, was involved in quite a few big moments.
Another amazing stat from his incredible three-year peak with the Royals: from 2014 through 2016, over 207 combined regular season and postseason innings, Davis allowed a grand total of THREE home runs.
Would love to see if anyone can name them
Without googling
All three happened to be in Aug-Sept 2015. I had to look it up: Jose Bautista, Kole Calhoun, Logan Morrison
The three guys that managed those weren’t slouches when it came to the long ball either. Davis was like a cheat code in the 9th inning during that time. Hat-tip for this incredible stat dude.
We never stood a chance vs that pen in the 2015 World Series. Congrats to Wade on a great career after a rocky start.
I wish Wade the best in his future endeavors
Great career. Hope he enjoys family time now.
Good luck to him and congratulations on a fine career
Congrats to him on an impressive career. One of the best closers I’ve seen.
About 3 years too late, but congratulations on a nice career with a few years of greatness in the middle.
His pitch to Ben Revere in 2015 was high and outside.
Glad to see the credit to the a royals for really starting the bullpen revolution. He put together a nice career and can retire with good money and a ring, can’t complain about that
Part of the the best bullpen in history. Throw Luke Hochevar in with this pen and it was dominant. I actually think the 15 pen was deeper and Holland was out that year. Enjoy retirement
wait, we can refer to them as the Devil Rays now??!!!
A 0.00 ERA in 7 World Series games is pretty darn good. Enjoy your retirement, sir.
that 2015 royals team was so much fun to watch. game 4 vs the astros, game 5 vs the blue jays, games 1 & 5 vs the mets, just an amazing postseason run
Wade’er, check please
Best of luck