MLB trade rumors: Orioles in pursuit of Royals' Danny Duffy

Although GMs are departing from the Winter Meetings, some with contracts in tow and some empty handed, the stove is not cooling down anytime soon. According to Kansas City Star‘s Rustin Dodd, the latest news to stoke the fire is that the Royals are continuing to listen to offers on Danny Duff, but the Orioles are showing the most fire for the pitcher.

The homegrown Royal has seen a dip in his numbers recently, hurling a 3.81 ERA over 146.1 in 2017, a slight increase from his 3.51 ERA in 2016. With that being said, he’s still one of the most dominant lefties in the American league. There are some health concerns, mainly stemming from his Tommy John surgery in 2012. However, he had a strong 2014 season (2.53 ERA over 149.1 innings and 113 strike outs), shaking most concerns away.

If Kansas City are positive about moving the southpaw, it would make more sense for the Royals to keep him around until the midseason trade deadline when his return would (barring injury) be at an all-season high.

Duffy, however, is less than coy about his feelings regarding a uniform change.

“Bury me a Royal,” the 28-year old said to begin a series of tweets Wednesday night that expressed his anxiety, fear, and sadness over the prospect of being moved this winter.

Duffy is currently signed through 2021 after inking a 5-year, $65M contract extension last winter.

Trading Duffy would be a double edge sword. While it looks like the Royals are full on moving to a rebuild phase, it seems like a pipe dream that Kansas City would get the proper return on a solid starter who is not only under team control for so many more years but has also exhibited a clear love and dedication to the team. It would have to be a prospect package no one could refuse to equate to Duffy’s talent, a caliber that Baltimore, after several years of having an anemic farm system, might not be so willing to part with.