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Five things we learned Monday: Danny Duffy has best game in Royals history
- Updated: August 2, 2016
12:56 AM ET
1. Danny Duffy may be the best starter in the American League. Duffy took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished with a Kansas City Royals franchise record 16 strikeouts, breaking Zack Greinke’s mark of 15. This was the best stuff I’ve seen from a starting pitcher all season, as Duffy mixed in a sharp breaking curveball — it’s kind of like a slurve — with a nasty changeup that tailed away from right-handed batters and a fastball that averaged 94.2 mph with movement. Mean, unhittable stuff. At one point, Evan Longoria fanned in the seventh inning and just walked away, muttering to himself and shaking his head, kind of a “How am I supposed to hit this?” reaction.
The numbers bear out the dominance and the quality of his stuff. From ESPN Stats & Info, the most swings and misses in a game in the past 15 years:
1. Danny Duffy, Monday night: 35
1. Clayton Kershaw, Sept. 2, 2015: 35
3. Max Scherzer, May 11, 2016: 33
3. Jeremy Bonderman, Aug. 23, 2004: 33
5. Johan Santana, Aug. 19, 2007: 32
Duffy’s swing-and-miss percentage was the highest of any starter who threw at least 100 pitches in the past 15 seasons, as the Tampa Bay Rays missed on 35 of the 60 swings they took. In fact, this may have been the best start in Royals history. Duffy’s game score of 95 is a franchise record, as well, for a nine-inning game (Dick Drago had a 98, but over 12 innings). The previous high was 93, shared by Kevin Appier and Roger Nelson.
Duffy began the year in the bullpen after posting a 4.35 ERA as a starter last season. Yes, the Royals thought Chris Young and Kris Medlen were better rotation options coming out of spring training. Granted, Duffy has credited his work in the bullpen with making him better, and he pitched out of the stretch, but he has always had good stuff and had a 2.53 ERA back in 2014. Duffy now ranks fourth in the AL in ERA at 2.98, behind Aaron Sanchez (2.71), Cole Hamels (2.84), and Jose Quintana (2.89). OK, it’s a little too soon to say Duffy’s the best …
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