Danny Duffy signs one-year contract, avoids arbitration

Danny Duffy has signed a one-year $2.425 million contract, avoiding arbitration, according to Jeffrey Flanagan. The 26-year old left-hander was in his first year of arbitration and had been requesting $3 million, with the club offering $1.75 million. MLB Trade Rumors predicted he would receive $2.6 million.

Duffy is coming off a career-best season with a 2.53 ERA in a career high 31 games, 25 of which were starts. He strikeout ratio declined sharply, but so did his walk ratio. While his FIP was considerably higher at 3.83, he still provided 3.5 rWAR of value for the Royals. Duffy was in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, and was healthy most of the year until he injured a rib in late September that kept him out of the rotation in post-season play.

In four Major League seasons, the former 2007 third-round pick has a 3.67 ERA in 306 2/3 innings pitched. The Royals still have three arbitration cases remaining with Kelvin Herrera, Greg Holland, and Eric Hosmer. The club has already settled four cases before Duffy, signing Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, Tim Collins, and Louis Coleman to one-year deals.