Here’s what Eric Hosmer’s former Royals teammates said about his departure

The first time Eric Hosmer wandered into a clubhouse occupied by Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy, the latter nearly stopped in his tracks.

Duffy saw a 6-foot-4, 215-pound teenager who had graduated from high school in South Florida mere months earlier and just received a $6 million signing bonus as the third pick in the 2008 draft.

Duffy had heard the hype, of course. A third-round pick in 2007, Duffy was at ground zero of the organization and on the verge of embarking on a journey that saw the Royals become the best farm system in baseball.

But the moment Hosmer, who became one of his closest friends, walked into the weight room, Duffy was still shocked.

“He walks in and I’m like, ‘This dude is 18, bro. Goodness, this guy’s a beast,’ ” Duffy said. “I’m like, all right, yeah, we’ve got some specimens here.”

What followed was a shared history. A Texas League championship with Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Back-to-back American League pennants. A World Series ring. A World Baseball Classic championship.

But now that Hosmer has decided to go another way, agreeing to an eight-year contract with the San Diego Padres late Saturday, his and Duffy’s stories will diverge. Duffy will remain in Kansas City for the foreseeable future — his name was floated in the offseason as a potential trade candidate — and Hosmer will oversee what portends to be the final stages of a rebuilding process in San Diego.

As news of Hosmer agreeing to join the Padres ticked across the bank of television monitors near his locker in the clubhouse Sunday morning, Duffy said over and over again that his former teammate deserved everything he earned in free agency.

“I told him yesterday, ‘My happiness for you trumps the bummer that I’m feeling right now,’ ” Duffy said. “It’s just a part of the game, man. It sucks but it’s part of the game. Whatever’s best for his family is what he has to do.

“That dude loves this place, loves these guys, loves the city of Kansas City, obviously, and he gave more than he took for the better part of a decade. He deserves whatever he gets.”

Hosmer’s departure through free agency ended an era in Kansas City and left behind a bittersweet feeling for those remaining in Royals uniforms.

For players like Duffy, who debuted in the major leagues 12 days after Hosmer in May 2011, Hosmer’s move meant losing his best friend as a teammate.

“Any special memories?” Duffy said. “I mean, yeah, about 11 seasons worth.”

For catcher Drew Butera, who joined the Royals in 2015, losing Hosmer to the Padres meant losing a clubhouse leader — even though Butera, at 34, is six years older than Hosmer, a Gold Glove first baseman.

“He was the guy that anyone went to for anything,” Butera said. “If you were feeling down you went to him. If you were walking the clubhouse and you got some new shoes, he was the first guy you went to go show. He always made you feel special whether you were a 12-year veteran superstar or you had one day in the show. He was the guy that you went to and he always built you up and led the team.”

With the Royals set to begin full-squad workouts on Monday, the immediate future at first base will take center stage.

Still, as a reunion with Hosmer fell out of reach, Duffy remained wistful about playing together again.

“I told him, ‘Dude, this is not the last time we’re going to play together. This is not the last time we’re gonna be on the same squad. Whether it’s over the hill, rec baseball or in the show again,’ ” Duffy said. “I wanna be on his team again. I hope that we can make that happen. I hope that it’s in Royal blue. That’d be pretty cool down the road.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2018 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Here’s what Eric Hosmer’s former Royals teammates said about his departure."