On Wednesday, three-time MLB All-Star Wade Davis announced his retirement.
The 36-year-old is walking away from the game after 13 seasons at the big-league level.
Davis had a really solid MLB career, and he certainly has a lot to be proud of.
The former third-round spent his first three MLB seasons as a starting pitcher, but he eventually found a permanent home as a reliever.
His move to the bullpen ended up being a very worthwhile one, as he accomplished a LOT in that role.
He was one of the league’s best relievers during his prime years.
Today, we’re going to rank his three best seasons.
3. 2016 Season
Davis spent four years with the Kansas City Royals, and his last season with the team came in 2016.
He made sure to leave the organization on a high note.
The righty posted a 1.87 ERA over 45 appearances in 2016, and he racked up 27 saves in 30 opportunities in the process.
He also registered a 2.29 FIP and 1.13 WHIP.
He earned an All-Star selection, which was the second of his career at the time.
Perhaps the most impressive feat from Davis’ 2016 campaign is the fact that he didn’t allow a single home run in 43.1 innings of work.
That’s an incredibly hard thing to accomplish.
When this guy was in his prime, it was virtually impossible for hitters to take him deep.
2. 2014 Season
Davis’ 2014 campaign — which also came with the Royals — seems like an obvious choice for this No. 2 slot.
It doesn’t quite make the cut for the top spot, but it’s definitely worthy of being high on this list.
It was a phenomenal year for him, as he maintained a ridiculous 1.00 ERA over 71.0 frames.
Just like his 2016 season, he didn’t allow a long ball all season long.
He struck out 109 batters in his 71.0 innings of work, giving him a career-best strikeouts-per-nine of 13.6.
Davis also put up a 1.19 FIP and 0.85 WHIP, and when all was said and done, he earned a bWAR of 3.8 (which ended up being the best mark of his career).
He even finished eighth in the AL Cy Young race, which speaks volumes about the year he had.
It’s very rare for a reliever to finish that high in Cy Young voting.
1. 2015 Season
In 2015, Davis etched his name into Royals lore.
As you’ve probably guessed, it was a dominant year for him, but that’s only half the reason his 2015 campaign comes in at No. 1 on this list.
The other half?
He helped Kansas City win its first World Series title since 1995.
There’s no telling if the team would have gotten the job done without him.
It was a magical year for the Royals, and it was definitely a magical year for Davis.
He pitched to a career-best 0.94 ERA over 69 appearances.
He earned an All-Star selection, finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting, and even got some love in the MVP race.
The hurler went 17-for-18 on save opportunities.
He also maintained a 2.29 FIP and 0.79 WHIP.
It was an unforgettable year for him, and Royals fans will always be grateful for the impact he made en route to the title.
https://www.thecoldwire.com/best-seasons-of-wade-davis-mlb-career/feed/03 Best Seasons Of Wade Davis’ MLB Career https://www.thecoldwire.com/best-seasons-of-wade-davis-mlb-career/https://www.thecoldwire.com/best-seasons-of-wade-davis-mlb-career/#respondThu, 25 Nov 2021 18:19:13 +0000MLBhttps://www.thecoldwire.com/?p=43093On Wednesday, three-time MLB All-Star Wade Davis announced his retirement. The 36-year-old is walking away from the game after 13 seasons at the big-league level. Competitor. Closer. Champion. Congratulations on your retirement, Wader. pic.twitter.com/uIZ6uBTiGc — Kansas City Royals (@Royals) November 24, 2021 Wishing all the best to Wade Davis in retirement! Davis was an […]
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