Wade Davis in a non-save situation, finishes off Game 5

Wade Davis finishes off Game 5 of the 2015 World Series.  

With seven free agents after the 2017 season, the Royals need to move some salary.  Two of the names that have popped up after the first two days of Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings are Lorenzo Cain and Wade Davis.  Still pending a review of physicals, it appears as though the Royals have worked out a deal with the Chicago Cubs to send Davis to the Windy City.

The one name that is coming to Kansas City is outfielder Jorge Soler.  There should also be some prospects sent from the Cubs as well.

Davis had a 1.18 ERA over the past three seasons, with three homers allowed, but had arm trouble that landed him on the DL.  He pitched in just 43.1 innings last year.  The toll of two extended seasons appeared to wear down the 31-year old.  Davis is set to make $10 million in 2017, before becoming eligible for free agency.

Soler, who will turn 25 in February, is an outfielder with already 765 plate big league plate appearances in parts of three seasons with the Cubs.  Health has been an issue at times for Soler who has spent time of the DL for injuries that I would call more nagging than serious.  He projects to be a .258 hitter with 21 homers and 75 RBIs over a 162 game schedule, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

Soler struggled with health issues this past season and was just 2-for-13 this postseason, but in 2015, Soler hit .571 against the Cardinals in the NLDS with a double and two homers and then posted a .417 average with another homer while the Cubs were swept by the Mets in the NLCS.