Wade Davis has been a welcomed addition to the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen this season, pitching like his usual dominant self. In 31 games this year he owns a 1.80 ERA with 16 saves, a 2.01 FIP, a 12.9 K/9 rate, and he has given up just one home run all season. His presence at the back end of games has provided the bullpen with stability, and has been a big reason why the Cubs have one of the best bullpens in baseball. Cubs relievers rank in the top five in all of baseball in several categories including ERA (3.26, 4th), strikeouts (339, 4th), and batting average against (.214, 1st).
His solid season earned him his third All-Star game nod, and he ended up being the only Cubs player to get an invitation to play in this year’s Mid-Summer Classic.
He came into the game to start off the top of the 10th inning, and was greeted by Mariners’ second baseman Robinson Cano. The two have faced each other 24 times during regular season play in their respective careers thanks in large part to their days in the AL East, and Cano owns a .304/.333/.565 slash line with two home runs and just two strikeouts in those matchups with Davis. Last night’s showdown was unforgiving to Davis, as Cano launched a lead-off, go-ahead long ball that gave the American League a 2-1 lead.
Davis finished the inning with just the one run allowed, but the National League’s offense was unable to answer back in the bottom frame. He was charged with the loss, and his final line from the appearance included two hits, the one run from Cano’s homer, and he struck out one batter as well.
Last night’s outing was a far cry from his only other All-Star game action in 2015, when he pitched a scoreless 8th inning with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
Davis’s appearance in last night’s All-Star game was not up to par with the rest of his 2017 season, but should not be any indication of how the rest of the year will go.
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