Just before the Kansas City Royals won their third straight game on Monday night, they received bad news about their 23-year-old left-handed starter Danny Duffy, who had to leave Sunday’s start against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning:
#Royals head physician Dr. Key diagnoses LHP Danny Duffy with a torn left ulnar collateral ligament. Duffy to get 2nd opinion w/ Dr. Yocum.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) May 14, 2012
The Royals feared the worst heading into the MRI on Monday, so there’s zero indication that the second opinion will be any different. The next logical step is for Duffy, who was hitting 95 on the gun this year, to undergo Tommy John and hopefully come back stronger as is a possible outcome after that procedure.
In six starts this season, Duffy had a 3.90 ERA and a strikeout rate of greater than nine. He struggled with his command at times, but he was the Royals’ best young starter. If there was any hope that the Royals would compete in the less than stellar Central Division this season, this is certainly a huge blow. The Royals are currently 4.5 games out at 14-20.
