Danny Duffy eyes summer return, sees ‘unfinished business’ with Dodgers
by Rowan Kavner
Danny Duffy was playing catch last fall when the ball sailed on him. Then the pain hit. The left-hander, who had already gone on the injured list twice with a left forearm flexor strain, but this discomfort was different.
He knew what it felt like for an elbow to blow out, having undergone Tommy John surgery a decade ago. Duffy was convinced he’d need the procedure again, in which case retirement was on the table for the 33-year-old.
“Honestly, if it was Tommy John, like full disclosure, I was thinking about just taking it to the house,” Duffy said.
Sitting in Dr. Neal ElAttrache’s office in early October, he was “super relieved upon receiving his MRI results. The injury was only to his flexor tendon. ElAttrache explained to him what the rehab process might look like. After 30 minutes of deliberation, he decided surgery was the best path forward. Ten days later, he got the procedure done.
Duffy, a California native who grew up a Dodger fan, wanted to help his favorite team down the stretch last season. He was still on the shelf with his flexor injury when the Dodgers acquired him at the trade deadline, hoping he might return late in the year. The injury would not relent.
As he recovered from surgery, Duffy felt like he had “unfinished business” in Los Angeles. He officially returned to the Dodgers on Friday on a one-year deal and is targeting late June or early July for his return.
“I just think I have a lot left in the tank, and I didn’t get to help all last year and that was devastating,” Duffy said. “This group of guys has been a lot of fun to be around, and I’m excited to be an active player and actually get to contribute. It was a no-brainer.”
Duffy was 4–3 with a 2.51 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 13 games (12 starts) for the Royals last season. He was electric to start the year, allowing just one earned run in 23 innings over four April starts.
The arm issue arrived soon after. He first went on the injured list May 17. Duffy thought he could push through the pain, returning on June 23 and making six appearances. But the flexor issue forced him back to the IL.
“This is the first time in a long time that I haven’t really felt pain,” Duffy said. “My mobility is back all the way, and I’m getting into strengthening it, and I think we’re just taking it day by day. Last year I was kind of in a mode where I emptied the tank no matter what and that one day I was playing catch, I just felt it go and that was a tough day.”
It meant a lot to Duffy that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman still saw something in him and wanted him back for the 2022 season. Duffy hasn’t started throwing yet but expects to begin that process in five or six weeks. Duffy has started 204 of his 234 career games, but he’s content to return as a reliever considering how long it would take for him to build his arm up.
“I love the bullpen,” Duffy said. “I really like challenging people. I like the ‘your best against their best’ mentality. I’ve really enjoyed that in the past when I was in Kansas City. I’m excited to sit in that role again.”
Quick Hit:
- Max Muncy is expected to make his spring debut Monday in the field. Freddie Freeman will make his Dodger spring debut Tuesday, while Mookie Betts is expected to get his first start of the spring Wednesday.
