Kansas City Royals: Wade Davis best Royals reliever of 2010s
By Cody Rickman
While there were a lot of star relievers for the Kansas City Royals in the 2010s, Wade Davis was the best of the best.
In 2012 offseason, the Kansas City Royals made a big time trade, acquiring an ace starter and future dominating reliever to push them into plus side in win column, an AL pennant, and a World Series title. It also brought on a future trade netting the Royals their franchise record holding home run hitter.
For four seasons (2013 – 2016), Wade Davis converted from a mediocre starter to one of the most dominant relievers in the decade for all of Major League Baseball.
Wade Davis was considered a starting pitcher with potential when he was included in the Royals’ trade for James Shields in the 2012 offseason. The Royals traded top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi along with former top pitching prospect Mike Montgomery and minor league infielder Patrick Leonard to the Rays for Shields, Davis and a player to be named later (veteran infielder Elliot Johnson).
At the time of the trade, Davis was considered a starting pitcher with the ability to become decent in most rotations, but he struggled later in many of starts. Davis started 24 games for the Royals in 2013 and wasn’t doing well in a starting role, which prompted the Royals to convert Davis to a full-time reliever.
Davis showed immediate potential to be a dominating reliever when his velocity ticked up to 97+ mph on fastball. He utilized his high velocity fastball with sinker movement with a 95-mph cutter and devastating curveball to prevail in relief.
Davis came to the Royals in his age 27 season and after his move to full-time reliever, quickly acquired the role of shut down late inning reliever. He was the Royals eighth inning set-up pitcher for much of the 2014 and 2015 seasons when the Royals marched out a devastating late inning relief corps, shutting down opposition and shortening the game.
Davis became the Royals closer late in the 2015 season after Greg Holland was sidelined with injury. Getting on-base, getting a hit, and especially getting a home-run off Wade Davis during his stretch of domination were incredibly difficult for hitters.
His statistical line for the Royals for his three seasons (four in total) as a Royals reliever were the some of the most dominant for any Royals reliever in the franchise’s history and the best of his career.
- 216 appearances (24 games started)
- 2.94 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, 348 Ks in 318.0 innings (51 Holds, 47 saves) – 8.0 WAR
- 2014 – 1.00 ERA, 0.847 WHIP, 109 Ks in 72.0 innings (0 home runs allowed) – 1.5 WAR
- 2015 – 0.94 ERA, 0.787 WHIP, 78 Ks in 67.1 innings (3 home runs allowed) – 3.1 WAR
- 2016 – 1.87 ERA, 1.131 WHIP, 47 Ks in 43. Innings (0 home runs allowed) – 1.4 WAR
Davis was selected to All-Star games in 2015 and 2016, and finished eighth in the 2014 Cy Young award voting and sixth in the 2015 Cy Young voting. He led the AL in win probability added (WPA) in 2015 with 4.3 WPA and finished third in WPA (3.9 WPA) in 2014.
Wade Davis was exceptionally reliable and consistent throughout the regular season and playoffs and that’s why many referred to him as “WadeBot” for how robotic he was on the mound and never let the moment faze him. His playoff numbers were every bit as exceptional as his regular season numbers, with 25.0 innings of 0.36 ERA, 0.76 WHIP (0 home runs allowed) of high leverage relief.
Wade Davis gave Royals fans two very memorable moments with first coming in Game 6 of the 2015 ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays.
After coming into the game to shut down the Blue Jays’ rally with one out in the top of the eighth inning, Davis sat for about 45 minutes following a rain delay and the Royals regaining the lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Davis gave up a lead-off hit to Russell Martin, who was pinch ran for by Dalton Pompey. Pompey stole second and third off of Davis, giving the Blue Jays a runner at third base with nobody out. Davis walked Kevin Pillar, who stole second base, giving the Blue Jays runners on secnd and third with nobody out, and the Blue Jays top of the order coming up.
“Wader” (check please) went on to strike-out the next two batters and then he got Josh Donaldson (AL MVP) to ground out to third base, giving the Kansas City Royals their second straight AL pennant and World Series appearance. This relief appearance was a complete nail bitter for everyone watching and it was the Royals’ most clutch relief performance of the decade.
Wade Davis also gave Royals fans another memorable moment in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, closing out the bottom of the 12th inning with three straight strike-outs to give the Royals their first World Series title in 30 years. What a way for Royals relief pitcher of the decade to close out the game, completely unhittable.
The Royals gave the MLB a new model for success by building a dominate bullpen in 2014 and 2015. The “HDH law firm” of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, and Greg Holland shortened games to 6 innings for the Royals during their run of success. Davis was the most dominate of the trio, followed closely behind by Holland and Herrera.
The Royals traded Wade Davis in the 2016 offseason to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder/DH Jorge Soler. Soler struggled with health in his first two seasons with the Royals while Davis would go on to lead the NL in saves (2017), leading most people to call this trade a bust for the Royals.
The Royals were patient with Jorge Soler and they were rewarded in 2019 with a full season of health and a new franchise record holder for home runs in a season. Davis is now with the Rockies and is coming off of a season in which he had an ERA of 8.65.
Recap
More from KC Kingdom
- Win $650 GUARANTEED Plus $100 Off NFL Sunday Ticket With Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!
- This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!
- How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2
- The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. Immediately
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
Designated Hitter – Billy Butler
Starting Pitcher – James Shields
Reliever – Wade Davis
Conclusion
The Royals had five consecutive seasons of 80+ wins from 2013 – 2017, winning two consecutive AL pennants in 2014 and 2015, and the 2015 World Series. After two decades of despair and frustration Royals fans were treated to some of the best baseball in Kansas City since the dominant Royals teams of the 70s and 80s.
After two decades of watching the Royals franchise trade away promising young talent for players who never panned out, fans were blessed with several great trades for low budget organization. The Royals turned a Cy Young pitcher in Zack Greinke into their all decade Center Fielder (Lorenzo Cain) and Shortstop (Alcides Escobar).
The Royals used their “best farm system in baseball” to trade for their all decade Starting Pitcher (James Shields) and Reliever (Wade Davis). The Royals were wise enough to cash in on Wade Davis in a trade for the all decade Right Fielder Jorge Soler before Davis hit free agency.
These types of high risk trades are a big reason why Dayton Moore was successful in building the Royals roster and will remain at the helm of Royals baseball operations for the upcoming decade.
The Royals have been able to develop their own internal talent, which is a must for a small market team. All-decade members Salvador Perez (international signing), Eric Hosmer, Whit Merrifield, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon, and Billy Butler were all drafted, signed, and developed in the Royals system.
A new wave of developing talent (several acquired via draft pick compensation for the loss of Hosmer, Cain, and Shields) is coming to join all-decade hold overs Salvador Perez, Whit Merrifield, and Jorge Soler for the next run of competitive/contending baseball in Kansas City.
Next. Royals 2010s All-Decade Team. dark
Drafting, developing, and retaining talent from within the organization will be essential for the Royals in order to regain the success the franchise experienced in 2014 and 2015. The timeline this decade looks very similar to the previous decade with the success the farm system has had in 2019.
The farm system may get a lofty scouting grade entering the 2021 season. The Royals should be much more competitive in 2022 and 2023 with a projection of contention in a weaker division by 2024 and 2025.