Royals’ Ned Yost wants Danny Duffy focused on relief role as season begins

For the last month, Danny Duffy has existed as a left-handed pitcher with no defined role. He was a fringe rotation candidate in a deep pool of options. He projected as a potential weapon in the bullpen. Duffy said he would welcome either assignment.

For now, Royals manager Ned Yost says, the assignment will come in relief. As the team prepares to break camp Saturday, Yost views Duffy as a left-handed bullpen arm to mix and match in the sixth and seventh innings of games.

“We want him focused on coming on and blowing guys away for a couple of innings,” Yost said. “Or (it could be) one inning or out — whatever we need him to do.”

The proclamation was not a surprise. On Saturday morning, Yost revealed his five-man starting rotation, which included right-handers Chris Young and Kris Medlen. It did not include Duffy, 27, who spent most of the last two years in the rotation before finishing 2015 in the bullpen.

In the early days of camp, Duffy was stretched out like a starting pitcher, but he appeared a long shot to make the rotation. He struggled with his command during the opening weeks of camp. Young and Medlen appeared poised for starting roles. And when the Royals needed spot starters, they elected to use right-handers Dillon Gee and Chien-Ming Wang.

For now, Gee appears poised to make the club as a long man in the bullpen. He could also be a spot starter. That depth, Yost said, will allow Duffy to focus on a shorter role in relief.

“He could always be built back up,” Yost said of Duffy’s prospects of starting. “But right now, that’s not the plan. We’ve got Dillon Gee for that, too.”

Yost said the plan for now includes using Duffy’s electric arm in middle relief. Yost views relievers Joakim Soria, Kelvin Herrera and Luke Hochevar as interchangeable setup men for closer Wade Davis. Duffy will occupy a role in front of the Royals’ big four.

“The beauty of our pen is that we really have three eighth-inning guys, and you can mix and match depending on usage, to keep everybody fresh,” Yost said. “Well, Danny can be one of those guys, too. (But) Danny is probably going to be your sixth-, seventh-inning guy, depending on the usage of the other guys.”

For Duffy, the move to the bullpen is not permanent, but it represents a new chapter in his career. For years, he has cut an enigmatic figure in the rotation. In moments, he has flashed great promise. At other times, his fastball command has lacked consistency, and his health has been a constant battle.

In 2014, Duffy was perhaps the Royals’ best starter, posting a 2.53 ERA in 31 appearances, including 25 starts. A year ago, he suffered from a bout of regression, with a 4.35 ERA in 24 starts. He moved to the bullpen in September and seemed to relish the role.

“I learned a lot from being out in the pen,” Duffy said earlier this spring. “And I learned a lot from my failures in the rotation, too.”

This spring, Duffy has worked through a sluggish start. He has allowed 10 earned runs in 12 innings. His command has come and gone. Entering Sunday, he had issued five walks in seven appearances.

The numbers are not pretty, but Duffy views them as part of his usual March routine. For years, he has struggled in the early weeks of camp and emerged sharper near the end. On Saturday, Duffy showed signs of replicating the formula. He threw two scoreless innings against the A’s. He made an adjustment after losing his fastball for a stretch and appeared encouraged by the outing.

“No panic from me at all,” Duffy said. “This time of year is exactly for that.”

The difference this year, of course, is that Duffy is headed to the bullpen. For now, he will be used in short bursts. Yost believes Duffy can join the Royals’ corps of dominant relievers.

Duffy’s time as a starter may not be finished. But for now, the Royals want to see what he can offer in relief.

This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 1:27 PM with the headline "Royals’ Ned Yost wants Danny Duffy focused on relief role as season begins."