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Kansas City Royals: Danny Duffy has to be better in 2018

By Leigh Oleszczak

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 13: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy (41) delivers a pitch to the plate during the first inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians on May 13, 2018, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 13: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy (41) delivers a pitch to the plate during the first inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians on May 13, 2018, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Kansas City Royals expected a lot from Danny Duffy when they granted him an extension in 2016. The left-handed pitcher has failed to deliver on the mound though.

Kansas City Royals fans love Danny Duffy. They love how much he gives back to the community and the fact that he’s been preaching the whole “Bury me a Royal” thing even before it was cool. The first time Duffy tweeted that was during a time when not many people wanted to be a Royal.

Here we are, six years later, and Duffy is still loved by Royals fans, but some of his outings are absolutely brutal to watch. This season in particular has not been kind to Duffy, as the Royals ace is currently posting a 6.51 ERA and has five losses on his resumé (with just one win).

Sure, Duffy has had some good starts this season, but his performance on Sunday in Cleveland was horrendous. He allowed nine runs in 3.1 innings and put his team in a bad spot.

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Duffy is aware that he hasn’t been good this year, telling The Kansas City Star, 

"“I just haven’t been good. There’s no cure to this other than being good, and I haven’t been good,” he said. “I wish I had another answer for you guys — I just haven’t been good.”"

Normally we could chalk this up to just having an off year, but it’s a little more than that with Danny Duffy. He’s making $65 million and is supposed to be the ace of the staff yet his turn in the rotation has become a day where you just never know what you’re going to get out of him.

Is it going to be the Duffy who went 5.1 innings and allowed just one run or will it be the Duffy who gets shelled for nine runs in just three innings of work? He’s too inconsistent.

Maybe we’ll find out soon that Duffy has been pitching through an injury, which wouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s been very injury prone during his career and it would explain a lot honestly. Obviously I don’t want that to be the case, but it would make a lot of sense as to why Duffy has been so bad this year.

It’s still early in the season, but at what point do we legitimately begin to worry about Danny Duffy? That’s the question so far for Kansas City Royals fans.

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