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KC Royals: Danny Duffy injury could mean end of core group

By Leigh Oleszczak

KC Royals manager Ned Yost (3) comes to the mound to relieve starting pitcher Danny Duffy (41) in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
KC Royals manager Ned Yost (3) comes to the mound to relieve starting pitcher Danny Duffy (41) in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Not much has gone the KC Royals’ way throughout the first two months of the 2017 season, but now it appears that the season might be over before it’s even began. That’s due to an injury to Danny Duffy, who will miss six to eight weeks.

Just when Kansas City Royals fans feel like they can’t get kicked when they’re down anymore, the worst possible injury hit the team on Memorial Day. It was reported on Monday afternoon that starting pitcher Danny Duffy would be landing on the disabled list with an oblique strain. He will be out six to eight weeks.

This is a crushing blow for the Royals and very well could be the end for their 2017 season. Sure, it’s still early, but with the way the Royals have performed this season, does anyone see them turning things around enough to earn a spot in the playoffs months down the road? I sure don’t.

In 2014 and 2015, the KC Royals had nearly everything go their way. Injuries were limited and the ball seemingly bounced in Kansas City’s favor each and every day. That hasn’t been the case the past two seasons and the Royals have suffered the consequences. More losses have come to the team and the injuries are never ending.

With Duffy, the team’s ace, out for potentially two months, there isn’t a whole lot of hope for this team and selling key guys off is going to be an even bigger conversation than it was prior to Monday afternoon.

Consider guys like Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Jason Vargas as good as gone. Even players like Kelvin Herrera and Ian Kennedy, who won’t be free agents after 2017, could be sent elsewhere for prospects.

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It’d be hard to blame Dayton Moore for trading off the aforementioned guys. The Royals are going to have to rebuild their farm system and their team at some point and it might have to come sooner than previously expected.

The 2017 season was going to be a crucial one for the Royals, and was talked of being the last hurrah for this current group of players who won the World Series together in 2015. It’s very unlikely that the KC Royals can retain all of them and now, they might not be keeping any of them, as this season just hasn’t panned out the way that fans were hoping.

Duffy will be missed for the next two months, especially with Nate Karns currently on the disabled list as well. Ian Kennedy is still recovering from his time spent on the DL, Jason Hammel isn’t very good, and Jason Vargas likely won’t be a member of the Royals past the month of July.

The once solid starting rotation for the Kansas City Royals is going to crumple tremendously over these next few weeks and it won’t be fun to watch.

As painful as it is to say out loud, it might finally be time to throw in the towel on the 2017 season.

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