Dominant Kansas City Royals closer Wade Davis is reportedly generating interest ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline as the team is forced to make a tough decision about whether to buy or sell.
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Dodgers Emerge As Potential Davis Landing Spot
Thursday, July 28
Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball reported Wednesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers are one team interested in potentially acquiring Davis. He also noted that the reliever would prefer to remain in Kansas City with "all things being equal," though.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, citing sources, reported that the Royals "are trying to package Ian Kennedy" in a potential Davis trade. Passan noted that the Dodgers are a "strong match" and that the team wants Davis and can take on Kennedy's salary.
Davis Would Be Outstanding Bullpen Option for Contending Team
Davis is enjoying another outstanding season at the back end of the Royals bullpen. He's posted a 1.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while striking out 32 batters in 33.2 innings. And amazingly, those are his worst numbers since 2013, which showcases how terrific he's been since moving to the pen full time.
The Royals' struggles could make him expendable over the next few days, though. They own a 49-51 record at the 100-game mark. That leaves them 8.5 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central and 6.5 games behind the final wild-card spot.
Typically, that type of deficit combined with a 7-15 record in July would lead a team to sell. The decision is a bit more complicated for Kansas City because it's more difficult for the reigning World Series champions to give up on a title defense before the trade deadline.
On Monday, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star passed along comments from Royals general manager Dayton Moore, who's not taking anything off the table.
"I wouldn't categorize any player as untouchable—never have," Moore said. "We'll always evaluate somebody's level of interest and what their level of interest may mean to the improvement of our team, in terms of players that they would be willing to part with. That's what you do."
If Kansas City ultimately decides to move some key pieces, Davis figures to become a top asset and should demand more return now than he would in the offseason or at next year's deadline. That's because he's under team control for another year, per Spotrac, eliminating the risk of a rental acquisition.
The Dodgers represent a unique fit because they already lead MLB in bullpen ERA at 2.97, according to ESPN.com. They are looking to bolster that aspect of the team further thanks to concerns about the starting staff, highlighted by Clayton Kershaw's back injury.
All told, the Royals haven't fully committed to selling quite yet, and it sounds like Davis wants to stay with the organization, if possible. But if the decision is made to start looking toward the future, the Dodgers figure to face plenty of competition for the high-end closer on the trade market.
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