Oct 2, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Wade Davis (17) delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Indians in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium.The Indians won 3-2. Photo Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Wade Davis from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Jorge Soler on Wednesday.
Davis is expected to be the closer for the reigning World Series champion Cubs, filling the potential void of free agent Aroldis Chapman. The left-handed fireballer Chapman served as Chicago’s closer since a July trade.
Davis is familiar with manager Joe Maddon, having played under him with the Tampa Bay Rays. Davis posted a 2-1 mark with 27 saves and a 1.87 ERA in 45 appearances last season despite missing most of August with a forearm strain.
The 31-year-old has been one of the most reliable relievers over the last three seasons, recording a 19-4 mark with 47 saves in 182 2/3 innings. His 1.18 ERA during the last three campaigns is the best among qualified major league relievers.
Soler batted .238 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 86 games last year. The 24-year-old is batting .258 with 27 homers and 98 RBIs in three years with the Cubs.
–The New York Yankees are looking at a familiar face in their bid to secure an elite closer from the free agent trade market.
General manager Brian Cashman confirmed that the club has tendered contract offers to former Yankees fireballer Aroldis Chapman as well as fellow closer Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cashman, however, did not divulge the length of the potential deals to secure the services of either Chapman or Jansen.
Chapman reportedly is in search of a six-year deal. The left-handed Chapman served as Chicago’s closer since a July trade after posting a 3-0 mark with 20 saves and a 2.01 ERA in 31 appearances with the Yankees.
The Dodgers and Marlins reportedly are interested in Chapman, although the latter club has expressed greater interest in Jansen.
–The Yankees added some pop to their lineup by officially signing free agent outfielder Matt Holliday to a one-year deal Wednesday.
Financial terms of the deal were not announced by the team, but multiple media outlets reported previously the contract is worth $13 million. The seven-time All-Star is expected to serve as the Yankees’ designated hitter and also fill in at first base.
Holiday, who turns 37 next month, missed seven weeks last season with a fractured thumb. He hit .246 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs in 110 games.
–One day after trading pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for strong youngsters, the White Sox dealt big league outfielder Adam Eaton, 28, to the Washington Nationals for young pitchers Lucas Giolito, 22; Reynaldo Lopez, 22, and Dane Dunning, 21.
Giolito entered 2016 as the top pitching prospect in the minor leagues. He made his big league debut last season with mixed success. Giolito was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA with the Nationals in six starts.
–The Miami Marlins made another step toward addressing their starting pitching, with left-hander Jeff Locke agreeing to a one-year contract worth $3,025,000, according to multiple reports.
The deal comes less than two weeks after the Marlins signed another free agent starter in Edinson Volquez. Locke became a free agent after Pittsburgh failed to offer him a contract by last Thursday’s deadline. Miami is in need of starting pitching on the heels of the tragic death of ace Jose Fernandez.
Locke posted a 9-8 mark with a 5.44 ERA in 30 appearances (19 starts) last season with Pittsburgh. He owns a 35-38 career mark with a 4.41 ERA in six seasons with the Pirates.
–The Colorado Rockies agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal with free agent outfielder/infielder Ian Desmond, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
The versatile Desmond primarily played center field for the Texas Rangers in 2016 after playing exclusively at shortstop for the Washington Nationals for seven seasons.
The 31-year-old Desmond hit .285 with 22 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 156 games for the Rangers last season. For his career, he is hitting .267 with 132 homers and 518 RBIs.
