Royals pick up option on Davis

Nov 3, 2014 - 7:48 PM Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals ensured they'll have all three main members of their dominant bullpen under contract for next season by exercising their 2015 team option on Wade Davis.

Davis, who will earn $7 million next season, is coming off a sensational 2014 campaign in which the hard-throwing righty led all major league relievers with a 1.00 ERA and struck out 109 batters over 72 innings. The strikeout total was the most by a reliever in team history.

The 29-year-old followed up by posting an 0.63 ERA over 12 appearances during Kansas City's remarkable run to this year's World Series, due in large part to the work of Davis, closer Greg Holland and Kelvim Herrera out of the bullpen. Davis also recorded the win in two of the Royals' four victories over Baltimore in the American League Championship Series.

In two seasons since coming to Kansas City along with staff ace James Shields in a blockbuster trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, Davis has amassed a 14-3 record with a 1.65 ERA -- second only to Atlanta All-Star Craig Kimbrel among relievers over that stretch.

The Royals announced earlier in the day that they have extended a qualifying offer to Shields, who is eligible for free agency.