Danny Duffy And Paulo Orlando Could Make KC Royals Stand Pat At Deadline

KC Royals pitcher Danny Duffy, and reserve outfielders Paulo Orlando and Jarrod Dyson, could be making the team rethink their need to get roster help before the July 31 trade deadline.

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Danny Duffy’s eight-inning, 1-run performance against the White Sox on Sunday is only his latest strong performance. Since returning from a five-week injury layoff on June 24, Duffy has allowed a mere seven earned runs in 30.2 innings pitched for the Kansas City Royals.

That’s a nifty  2.05 ERA.

Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the White Sox, however, impressed me less than his six shutout innings against Toronto on July 10. Duffy battled his command that day, but still shut down the baseball’s most potent hitting lineup. And Toronto has not only scored the most runs in all of baseball, they’ve done it by a lot. The Blue Jays have scored 78 more runs than the no.2 offense (Yankees).

That, boys and girls, is a PROFESSIONAL outing. Duffy’s KC Royals mentor James Shields would be proud.

Jarrod Dyson’s surge since Alex Gordon tore his groin muscle is well-documented. What’s flown under the radar is how well Paulo Orlando has played. Since general manager Dayton Moore recalled him from AAA after Lorenzo Cain‘s hamstring injury, Orlando has hit .286/.348/.619 with 1 double, 2 home runs and 10 RBI’s for the Kansas City Royals. That’s not even mentioning Paulo Orlando’s swift base-running and outstanding defense.

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Gosh, it’s almost as if Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando don’t want to give up their playing time now that they’ve got it.

With the KC Royals playing so well, Dayton Moore and manager Ned Yost could well decide they don’t want to mess with something that isn’t broken. The team now stands 55-35 after opening the second half winning three out of four games in Chicago. The Kansas City Royals have the second best record in MLB, the best record in the AL, and are now World Series betting favorites with Las Vegas oddmakers Bovada and MGM Grand.

Last year, Oakland GM Billy Beane ended up destroying the momentum of a team with the best record in baseball by reshaping it for the playoffs. KC Royals GM Dayton Moore doesn’t want to make the same mistake.

Thus, Duffy and Orlando’s recent performances could impact Moore’s deadline strategy. He might stand pat with his rotation. With Kris Medlen, perhaps, able to start playoff games for the Kansas City Royals down the road, Moore has reason to decide he’s got enough depth to weather injuries to his rotation and outfield.

This analysis, by the way, is coming from a guy (me) that recently made the case for why the KC Royals should bring back  James Shields.

If Moore concludes he doesn’t need rotation or outfield help, that would make second base the Kansas City Royals most crying need at the trade deadline.

Next: Kansas City Royals Chasing Justin Upton

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• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The versatile Nate Eaton

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