Danny Duffy says he feels great, waits to return to Royals’ rotation

Danny Duffy left the Royals clubhouse on Sunday afternoon still unsure if he would start for the team during his turn in the rotation on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.

Duffy threw a light bullpen session Sunday morning to test his left shoulder. An MRI last week revealed rotator cuff inflammation after he departed a Yankee Stadium start due to discomfort after throwing only one pitch.

Duffy reported no problems after his throwing session on Sunday.

“It felt great,” Duffy said. “I didn’t feel anything.”

Manager Ned Yost has been reticent to name Duffy as his starter. He wants to see how Duffy recovers when he reports to the clubhouse on Monday. His likely replacement, Liam Hendriks, could not last three innings against Boston on Thursday.

Butler, Willingham sit out again

Yost called upon Nori Aoki on Sunday for the second day in row. Willingham has been resting his sore groin muscle. Yost offered a vague assessment of Willingham, indicating he would be able to pinch-hit in the next few days. Butler has played in only six games in September, relegated to the bench due to his 1-for-27 slump.

Aoki went 0-for-4 with a ninth-inning walk on Sunday. Butler could return to action against the slew of left-handed starters brought to town by the White Sox, starting with southpaw John Danks on Monday.

Omaha wins PCL championship

With a 4-0 victory on Sunday afternoon, the Class AAA Omaha club downed Reno and collected the Pacific Coast League title. The team heads to Charlotte on Tuesday to face Class AAA Pawtucket, the Red Sox’s affiliate, for the Class AAA national title.

In the clinching game, Aaron Brooks pitched a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts to crush the Diamondbacks’ Class AAA club.

This story was originally published September 14, 2014 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Danny Duffy says he feels great, waits to return to Royals’ rotation."