Rockies pay big money for closer Davis
Djokovic drops out of exhibition, delaying comeback from elbow injury
The Colorado Rockies added a significant piece to what’s becoming a formidable and high-priced bullpen by agreeing to a threeyear, $52 million contract with All-Star reliever Wade Davis.
His deal includes a fourth-year player option that vests should Davis reach 30 games in 2020, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms of the deal have not been released. The team officially announced the deal Friday afternoon.
A 32-year-old righthander, Davis will be in line to close out games for a Colorado team that returned to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2009. The Rockies’ relievers played a big role by going 24-19 with a 4.40 ERA. Their 549 strikeouts over 550 2/3 relief innings were the second-most in franchise history.
General manager Jeff Bridich is sticking to his blueprint of fortifying the bullpen in the offseason. A few weeks ago, the Rockies finalized $27 million, three-year contracts with right-hander Bryan Shaw and lefty Jake McGee, who’s been with Colorado the past two seasons. The team also returns righty Adam Ottavino and lefty Mike Dunn.
Previously a starter, Davis has flourished since stepping into a full-time reliever’s role in 2014. He leads all qualified major league relievers with a 1.45 ERA and allowed a .169 opponent batting average. In 2015, Davis was a pivotal part of a bullpen that helped guide the Kansas City Royals to a World Series title.
Last season, Davis had a 2.30 ERA and 32 saves for the Cubs.
Tennis
DJOKOVIC COMEBACK STALLS >>
The comeback plans for Novak Djokovic stalled when a recurrence of pain in his right elbow forced him to withdraw from an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Djokovic hasn’t played competitively since he retired in the Wimbledon quarterfinals because of the elbow injury. He was scheduled to play Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the exhibition semifinals, his first match in nearly five months.
Djokovic is entered in the Qatar Open starting on Monday in Doha, where he’s the defending two-time champion. That’s his leadin tournament for the Australian Open, which starts in just over two weeks. Exhibition organizers arranged a substitute match between Andy Murray, another former No. 1 who has been out since Wimbledon with a hip injury, and Bautista Agut. Murray lost the one-set match 6-2. Murray, who has been struggling to find full fitness following a right hip problem, was initially only in Abu Dhabi to practice for next month’s Australian Open.
Hockey
AMERICAN JUNIORS RALLY PAST CANADA OUTDOORS >>
Brady Tkachuk and Kieffer Bellows found enough traction in the snow to score shootout goals and cap the United States’ 4-3 victory over Canada in international hockey’s first outdoor game. Tkachuk and Ron Perunovich scored 34 seconds apart in the third period to rally the United States from a 3-1 deficit in the world junior championship game played in a steady snowfall at the NFL Buffalo Bills’ New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York, in front of a tournament record crowd of 44,592.
Casey Mittlestadt set up all three goals for the United States (2-1), which rebounded from a 3-2 loss to Slovakia a day earlier. Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for Canada (2-1), which has lost four straight meetings to the Americans.
The win provided the U.S. an edge over Canada in its bid to finish first atop the Group A standings. Both teams have one preliminary game left, with the Americans playing Finland on Saturday, and Canada facing Denmark on Sunday.
• St. Louis Blues draft pick Klim Kostin scored twice in leading Russia (21) to a 5-2 win over Belarus (0-3).