KC Royals: Danny Duffy set to start opening day

With the 2020 season getting closer and closer, the KC Royals have announced that they will be going with a veteran pitcher to start opening day.

The 2020 season is drawing close and teams are starting to figure which players they are going to be placing on the field for opening day. For the KC Royals, there are plenty of position players that will undoubtedly be seen, including Whit Merrifield, Alex Gordon, and Jorge Soler.

When it comes to the starting rotation, though, things could be a bit more tricky. There were only 4 Royals pitchers that were assumed to be in the starting rotation, but it wasn’t long ago that Brad Keller was placed on quarantine for a positive COVID test, leaving Danny Duffy, Jakob Junis, and Mike Montgomery to carry the load.

One question that many fans may have been asking is who would be the opening day starter. Keller started the 2019 season and managed to pitch a great game, though struggled in some games during the rest of the season.

With him being out for a few weeks, though, the doors were opened wide for someone to swoop in and take the spot. Now, the have Royals announced that veteran Danny Duffy will start opening day. 

Duffy is not new to starting opening day, as this will be his third time doing so, though in the middle of July it may be his most memorable opening day,

Duffy is a career Royal who has seen his fair share of ups and downs, seeming to find issues with consistency and injury. In 2019, Duffy managed a 4.34 ERA over 130.2 innings with a 7-6 record. The veteran Royal has made enough of an impression, though, to be able to get the go ahead for the opening day role.

Duffy got off to a decent start in the initial spring training, pitching 6 scoreless innings, and has continued his success into summer camp and intrasquad games.

While Duffy’s ability to remain consistent has been called into question in years past, a shortened season may be exactly what he needs to find his comfort zone again. After having issues with injuries, even just small ones throughout his career, a short season will likely help Duffy to be able to push himself without worrying about overdoing it

The 2020 season will likely have a lot of twists and turns, but with the announcement of the opening day starter, fans can start to get more excited for the return of live baseball and the KC Royals.

Danny Duffy will start opening day for the KC Royals. While this is no new event for him, the fact that the season is very different could make this a whole new experience for the veteran pitcher.