Danny Duffy heads to the injured list
Jake Newberry has been recalled
The Royals have placed left-handed starting pitcher Danny Duffy on the 10-day injured list with a left-hamstring strain and have recalled right-handed reliever Jake Newberry. Duffy has a 4.93 ERA in 18 starts this year and went just 4 2⁄3 innings, allowing nine runs in his last start Saturday against the Twins.
This will be Duffy’s second stint on the injured list this year, as he missed the first month with shoulder soreness. Duffy has yet to pitch as many as 160 innings in a season since 2016 and will not reach that total this year, with 100 1⁄3 innings under his belt so far. The 30-year old is in the third year of a five-year $65 million contract that will pay him over $15.25 million this year and next and $15.5 million in 2021.
Duffy was scheduled to start Thursday against the Tigers, but the Royals will start Jorge Lopez in his place, according to Alec Lewis. Lopez will be limited to 75 pitches. He began the year in the rotation, but was demoted to the pen in late May. Lopez has a 6.19 ERA in 84 1⁄3 innings this year, but had a 7.07 ERA in 10 starts this year.
Jake Newberry will make his fourth stint with the Royals this year. He has a 3.68 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 9 walks in 22 innings of work for the Royals.