Danny Duffy set for first start this season for Royals

Danny Duffy’s footwear on Friday told him his next appearance would be different than his bullpen action this season.

“I didn’t put my spikes on during the game,” Duffy said. “It was like, ‘Man, I’m not going to get the call today.’ ”

But Duffy, who knew he wouldn’t be used on Friday or Saturday, will be summoned Sunday, when he fulfills his first starting assignment since Sept. 16, 2015, in the series finale against the Braves.

The Royals reached into their bullpen for Duffy, as they did Saturday when Dillon Gee made his first start of 2016. The roles for both changed when starters Chris Young and Kris Medlen went to the disabled list because of arm injuries after their starts last week in New York.

This is familiar ground for Duffy, who will be making his 109th major-league appearance and his 81st as a starter on Sunday. He opened his big-league career as a starter in 2011. But all nine of his postseason appearances over the last two years have come out of the pen.

He’s been on a roll lately. Since surrendering a three-run homer to the Tigers’ Jarrod Saltalamaccia on April 19, Duffy has allowed just one run in 10  2/3 innings while striking out 13

Duffy hasn’t thrown more than 29 pitches in an outing this season, and he isn’t sure of his pitch count on Sunday.

“I’m going to try to get as many outs as I can,” Duffy said. “It’s kind of uncharted territory for me over the past eight months.”

This story was originally published May 14, 2016 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Danny Duffy set for first start this season for Royals."