Bradford Doolittle hands out grades as the Los Angeles Dodgers work to finalize a deal to acquire left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy from the Kansas City Royals for players to be named later.
DODGERS: B-
The recent rumor mill had both the Dodgers and Giants expressing interest in Duffy. Given the similarities of the two front offices, perhaps it's no coincidence that it was those teams that saw something in Duffy worth pursuing, even if he is about to become a free agent and even though he is on the injured list with a flexor strain.
Duffy's injuries -- he has had two IL stints this season with the same malady -- have besmirched what otherwise was shaping up as the best season of his 11-year career with the Royals. Over 61 innings this season, Duffy has a career-best strikeout rate (25.8%) and his best-yet ERA (2.51) during a season in which he has thrown at least 50 innings.
So what is it that the Dodgers (and, perhaps, Giants) see in Duffy?
Well, the obvious thing is just that he's a good pitcher, with a career OPS+ of 110 over nearly 1,200 career innings. He has maintained a working velocity on his four-seamer in the 92-93 mph range this far into his career and throws five pitches. One of those pitches -- his sinker -- has consistently resulted in ugly metrics over the past few years. Perhaps that is one thing the Dodgers see: a chance for Duffy to become more efficient by pruning his arsenal.
Another tweak might be to limit Duffy to five-to-six-inning outings in which he's facing a lineup only a couple of times. He's someone who has consistently been subject to the third-time-through-the-order penalty, so that, too, would be another way to improve his efficiency and, in this case, preserve an arm that has given him trouble this season.
Also, consider that while Duffy has thrown just 36 innings of relief during his career, his strikeout rate has spiked when working in that role, from 21% as a starter to 31% as a reliever. It's a small sample but it could be a telling one.
If and when the Dodgers' rotation gets healthy and manager Dave Roberts is looking to set up his October pitching staff, using Duffy in a multi-inning bullpen role could be an enticing option. And if time runs out on Duffy being able to resume a starter's workload when he comes off the IL, using him in relief is a fallback option.
As for the money part of it, the Royals are reportedly sending the Dodgers enough cash to cover the rest of Duffy's salary, so it won't have any ramifications, as Los Angeles operates this year's roster in the above-the-tax threshold.
No, Duffy is not Max Scherzer or Jose Berrios, and his addition has little bearing on if or whether the Dodgers are to pursue one of those aces. His acquisition is a worthy gamble in and of itself, and for Duffy's sake, let's not fall into the trap of comparing his production to that of the other top pitchers on the trade market.
ROYALS: INCOMPLETE
According to reports, the Royals are getting players to be named later in the deal, so we can't really judge what is likely going to be low-level prospects.
For now, let's acknowledge that Duffy is a special player in Royals history. He was drafted by the club in 2007, and after addressing his mental health early in his professional career, he became a pillar of the Kansas City franchise and a beloved member of the community. He has never achieved star status, but he has been a valuable contributor for the Royals for a long time.
Duffy has always been a stolid supporter of the organization, even as the current wave of young starting pitchers on the Royals started to arrive, signaling that his days with the club were likely drawing to a close. His influence on those young pitchers will pay dividends for the Royals for some time to come.