Nick Groke reports that the Rockies have designated Wade Davis for assignment:
Rockies today designated veteran close Wade Davis for assignment.
— Nick Groke (@nickgroke) September 19, 2020
Bud Black made the announcement today when meeting with the media via Zoom and acknowledged today that Davis “couldn’t get any traction.”
After being on the IL for 48 days with a shoulder issue, Davis returned on Thursday and gave up a home run to the first batter he faced. On Friday, Davis’ second game back, he allowed four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning.
sigh pic.twitter.com/QQq8xTSTyY
— RoxGifsVids (@RoxGifsVids) September 18, 2020
The Rockies signed Davis, a three-time All Star and World Series-winning closer, to a $52 million, three-year deal in 2018 as part of the “Super Bullpen” with Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw. It was the largest contract ever signed by a relief pitcher.
McGee and Shaw were designated for assignment on July 17, 2020.
In 2018, Davis had his highest ERA figure in seven years but led the National League in saves. He was a key part part of the 2018 team that won the Wild Card.
In 2019, he had a 8.65 ERA. In 2020 in 4.1 innings, he gave up 9 hits and 10 runs, earning him a 20.77 ERA.
— RoxGifsVids (@RoxGifsVids) September 18, 2020
As Nick Hertzog wrote in 2019, “Wade Davis was awful at home and a little less awful on the road.”
Over the course of his career in Colorado, he earned a cumulative ERA of 6.49 in 112.1 innings pitched.
Davis had a $15 million mutual option for 2021.
And so ends what was once the Super Bullpen. It worth noting that the Rockies currently have the second-worst bullpen in MLB.
Purple Row will continue to follow this developing story