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The Royals have traded pitcher Danny Duffy to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for players to be named later, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Duffy is currently on the Injured List with a left flexor strain, but Dayton Moore told reporters this week he is progressing towards a return in 3-4 weeks.
The Royals will be getting players to be named later from the Dodgers for Danny Duffy, sources tell ESPN. Not a surprise there. The level of the player is likely to depend on how soon Duffy returns from his strained flexor and how much he pitches for Los Angeles.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 29, 2021
The 32-year old left-hander was enjoying one of his better seasons with a 2.51 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 61 innings. But he has twice landed on the Injured List with a flexor strain injury, and has battled injuries much of his career.
Duffy has spent his entire ten-year career with the Royals since being a second-round pick in 2007. He has 68 wins and a 3.95 ERA, and worked as a reliever for the club in the 2014 and 2015 postseasons.
As a ten-year veteran, Duffy has the right to veto any trade. But he was rumored to be open to being traded to his native California, making the Dodgers a good fit.
Duffy is in the final year of a five-year, $65 million deal and is eligible for free agency this fall. He is owed about $5 million the remainder of this season, and the Royals will be sending some money to the Dodgers, according to Jon Heyman. He could always return with the Royals, and knowing his affinity for the organization, that is a possibility. He is currently eighth in club history in innings pitched, sixth in strikeouts, 11th in wins, and 10th in WAR by a pitcher.
Update: It’s official.
We have traded LHP Danny Duffy and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a player-to-be-named-later.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 29, 2021