Dodgers Trade Targets: Wade Davis

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the Dodgers are reportedly looking at adding Wade Davis to their tired bullpen.

The past couple of seasons the Dodger bullpen has been the weakest aspect of the team. However, this year, the bullpen has been great (*knock on wood*). According to ESPN, the Dodgers have the lowest bullpen ERA in all of baseball for the 2016 season with an ERA of 2.97. They have stepped up and proved to be reliable. With the exception of Clayton Kershaw who still has no timetable on a return, Dodger starters have not really been able to go the distance in their starts. Most of the starters tend to go five or six innings, not the usual complete games Kershaw gave the club. While it is great that for the most part the Dodger bullpen has kept the team in the game or the lead, there is no doubt about it that they are going to be tired coming down the stretch. Adding the Kansas City Royals closer, Wade Davis, could bring the team the support they need as the season winds down.

Clearly the Dodgers already have an All-Star closer in Kenley Jansen, but they could add Davis as an eighth inning guy in order to give them the one two punch they need in close games. Jansen is also a free agent following this season so there is no certainty that he will be returning to the Dodgers. If they cannot secure Jansen, Davis would be even more important to have out of the pen.  The 30 year old closer is in his fourth year with the Royals. Davis is not having his best year, but it is also by no means his worst year. He has appeared in 35 games and currently has an ERA of 1.60. Last season, Davis appeared in 69 games and posted an ERA of 0.94. He was clearly lights out and a huge key piece to the Royals success. This year Davis has secured 21 saves in 23 possible save situations. He is signed with the Royals for another year, but does have a $10 million dollar option.

The Royals are not going to just hand Davis over for nothing though. As reported by ESPN’s Doug Mittler, the Royals are looking for financial relief would would likely include Ian Kennedy in a package deal with Davis. Kennedy signed a five year $70 million dollar deal this last winter. This would be a huge mistake for the Dodgers. Kennedy is owed about $65 million for the next four years which is way too much. It may have happened in the past, but how soon we all forget that Kennedy was the one who hit Zack Greinke twice in a game (one rather close to the head) on June 11, 2013. Following the hit by pitch, the Dodger and Diamondback benches cleared for a crazy brawl. Kennedy admitted in post game interviews that he did not regret that choice. Do the Dodgers really want to dump a ton of money into a guy that just three years ago purposely hurt one of their best players? While people change, Kennedy’s stats do not make up for his past character flaws. The 31 year old has started 20 games for the Royals this year and currently has a record of 6-9 and an ERA of 4.41.

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It has also been reported that the Royals offered Davis to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Lucas Giolito according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Clearly the Royals are thinking about moving Davis, but no matter what it is not going to come cheap for another team.

While Davis would be a great pick up to a tired bullpen, despite this not being his best year, Kennedy could drag the team down financially and be a disappointment when it comes to performance. Kennedy has not posted a season ERA under three since 2011 when he was with the Diamondbacks. If Davis comes to the Dodgers in a package deal, but Kennedy is apart, then they should stay far away.