Royals Rumors: Danny Duffy Agrees to Five-Year Extension
A positive gem has emerged in Royals rumors and it’s that the Kansas City Royals and pitcher Danny Duffy have agreed on a five-year $65 million extension. The contract keeps Duffy in Kansas City through 2021.
Hallelujah! The Royals have finally locked down one of their key free agents this offseason and it’s none other than Danny Duffy. The two agreed to a five-year $65 million extension, keeping Duffy in a Royals uniform through the 2021 season.
This is a huge deal for the Kansas City Royals, as they’ve struggled to develop starting pitchers. Duffy showed signs of a true ace last season and let’s just hope he continues to progress and become a dominant left-hander in the majors.
It’s hard not to be excited about this contract because it shows that Dayton Moore and the Royals are determined to keep themselves in the contender pile for a few more years.
We have agreed to a five-year contract with Danny Duffy, beginning in 2017 and running through the 2021 season. #ForeverRoyal pic.twitter.com/2Fee5xFFj1
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) January 16, 2017
Duffy started last season in the bullpen and was moved into the starting rotation after some key injuries to other starters. He shined as a starter to the tune of a 3.51 ERA and 1.141 WHIP. He stuck out 188 batters and now holds the record for most strikeouts in a game (16), which he accomplished against the Rays in August.
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While Duffy began to struggle a bit in the last few games, he had a stretch where he was completely dominant. He provided excitement for the team in the rough month of July and showed that he has the capability to become a true ace for this team.
Duffy has always made it known that he loves the Royals. Back when the team was bad, he had said “bury me a Royal” and even during this offseason, seemed optimistic that a deal would get done.
The Royals have now shown loyalty to two big names in their organization: Alex Gordon last season and now Danny Duffy.
The only thing that worries me about this deal is that Duffy has been inconsistent in the past. He’s struggled with staying healthy at times and that’s a big factor when signing a guy to this kind of extension.
Danny Duffy always said: "Bury me a Royal." Though he's far from the grave, his new five-year deal will take him through his age-32 season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 16, 2017
Next: Pros and Cons of Trading Key Players
At the end of the day though, it’s hard to fault Dayton Moore and the Royals for sticking to their guns and keeping key guys on the team. Hopefully Eric Hosmer is the next guy to sign a long-term deal, but only time will tell on that one.
For the time being though, let’s be thankful that the Royals inked a major guy to a long-term deal.