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Figures, right? A slow week, so I figure I’ll write this article about the possibility of Wade Davis and Jake Arrieta re-signing with the Cubs.
Less than one hour after that article posted, boom!
Source: Wade Davis has agreed to a deal with the Colorado Rockies.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2017
Source: Wade Davis' deal with the Rockies is for three years and $52M. It's the highest per-year salary ever for a relief pitcher.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2017
So that’s an AAV of about $17.33 million for Davis, which is clearly more than the Cubs would have wanted to give him. This means the Cubs probably head into 2018 with Brandon Morrow as their closer, unless they want to take a flyer on Addison Reed, who is still unsigned.
Perhaps this signing will break the logjam of unsigned players in this glacially slow offseason. As I noted in the earlier article today, Jake Arrieta is still unsigned and theoretically the Cubs could still bring him back, though I think his asking price is going to be higher than that for Yu Darvish and at this point I think I’d prefer the Cubs sign Darvish.
One last note: Davis, who had worn No. 17 in Kansas City, obviously had to change that when he became a Cub. He reversed it and wore No. 71. He won’t be able to wear 17 in Colorado, either; it’s retired for Todd Helton.