Danny Duffy is trying to finish the season with a sore left arm, but the Royals starter made it clear Monday that the bigger fix may have to wait.
Duffy, who has been on the disabled list since late August, said the discomfort near his elbow is tied to inflammation that won’t disappear on its own. For now, his focus is simply getting through the final stretch.
“It’s not ever going to go away until I take care of it,” Duffy said. “I just got to push through to the end of the season.”
The left-hander was diagnosed in late August with a “low grade pronator strain” after pitching through pain for four to five starts. Since then, he has spent the last two weeks resting and rehabbing in hopes of getting back on the mound this month.
After a three-inning simulated game Monday at Kauffman Stadium, Duffy said the arm came out of it in good shape. He threw 46 pitches and faced a group of hitters that included Raul Mondesi, Jorge Bonifacio and Drew Butera.
Duffy said his arm “felt really good”.
He also explained that the issue is centered around inflammation near the elbow, and he said he believes pitching through it this month would not threaten the ulnar collateral ligament.
“I have what I have,” he said. “It’s something that is inflaming something in there.
So we’ll get it looked at when we need to. But until then, right now, I could go.
Nothing in my elbow is going to compromise my ligament. You also have to go forward knowing that you could re-aggravate the original injury.”
Royals manager Ned Yost said Duffy will not need another simulated game before he returns to the rotation. That puts him in line to be activated and start as soon as this weekend in Cleveland.
“He’ll be ready to go 60 or 65 (pitches),” Yost said. “We’re running out of time here.”
Kansas City has also considered a six-man rotation once Duffy is back. Yost said that setup could give extra rest to Duffy, Kennedy and Jason Vargas over the final weeks. Duffy said the added day between starts could help him handle the discomfort.
“Everybody has something going on,” Duffy said. “If I could tolerate the pain, I’m going to.”
The Royals also learned Tuesday how their 2018 schedule will begin. Major League Baseball released the full calendar, and Kansas City will open next season at home against the Chicago White Sox on March 29.
The 2018 season starts earlier than usual because the league added four off days to the schedule. After that home series with Chicago, the Royals will begin their road slate with three-game sets in Detroit and Cleveland.
Their interleague schedule moves back to the National League Central. Kansas City will play 20 interleague games in eight series, with trips to St. Louis from May 21-23, Milwaukee on June 26-27, Pittsburgh from September 17-19 and Cincinnati on September 25-26.
The Royals are making their fourth trips to Miller Park in Milwaukee, PNC Park in Pittsburgh and Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
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