The Colorado Rockies’ bullpen just got even deeper and much more expensive.
Veteran closer Wade Davis and the Rockies have agreed to a three-year, $52 million contract, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan reported Friday, citing a source familiar with the agreement. The contract’s $17.33 million average annual value marks the highest per-year salary ever given to a reliever.
Davis’ contract reportedly includes a fourth-year vesting option that could push the total deal to $66 million. The option reportedly will vest as a $15 million player option if Davis finishes 30 games in 2020.
Davis, a three-time All-Star, will join a Rockies bullpen that also added Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw on three-year, $27 million contracts earlier this offseason. He’ll slot in as Colorado’s closer with Greg Holland — Davis’ former teammate with the Kansas City Royals — likely leaving in free agency.
Davis spent his 2016 season with the Chicago Cubs, recording 32 saves, a 2.30 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 58 2/3 innings over 59 appearances. The right-hander struggled with his control at times, issuing a career-high 4.3 walks per nine innings, but still generated plenty of swing and miss, registering 12.1 strikeouts per nine frames.
The 32-year-old has been excellent since converting into a full-time reliever with the Royals back in 2014. He owns a 1.45 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 244 appearances over the last four seasons (three with Kansas City, one with Chicago). He has 79 saves in that span and even won a World Series with Kansas City in 2015.
