Duffy's year likely over after injury recurs in loss

CLEVELAND -- Seven batters and 26 pitches into Tuesday's 9-3 loss to Cleveland, Royals left-hander Danny Duffy's night was finished because of an injured left shoulder.
After the game, Duffy made it pretty clear that the rest of his season was over, too.
"I'd assume I'm done for the season," Duffy said. "Not even 'assume' -- they're going to shut me down for sure. It's nothing we need to conceal. When you think about it, these guys, the training staff, [Royals pitching coach] Cal [Eldred], [Royals manager] Ned [Yost], they really stepped up for me and tried to help me with what I wanted to do and that's finish the season.
"I'm crushed about it, but that's the game. I get paid to play baseball. If I didn't try, it would [tick] me off even more. I tried. But I feel I can offer a lot to this team [in the clubhouse] the rest of the season."
Duffy was diagnosed with a left shoulder impingement, the same injury that sent him to the disabled list last month.
Yost said he would not comment on Duffy's immediate future, only confirming the diagnosis.
"For what we've been dealing with for a while, it's telling me to knock it off," Duffy said. "I tried to grind it out. I knew it'd be kind of a limp down the stretch. But I didn't figure [the end] would happen tonight. It's unfortunate the way it played out. I figured it would loosen up tonight, but it never did. I couldn't execute anything. I'm obviously pretty bummed out with the whole situation."
Duffy gave up four hits, one walk and three runs before he walked off the mound with trainer Nick Kenney, Eldred and Yost.

The night didn't get any better for the Royals, whose six-game winning streak was snapped. K.C. also lost rookie right fielder Brett Phillips, who suffered a right shoulder contusion after crashing into the wall trying to snare a double off the bat of José Ramírez. Phillips is being listed as day to day.
Phillips was wearing a sling for his right arm and shoulder after the game.

"I'm just most comfortable with it on right now," Phillips said of the sling. "All the tests for the shoulder structure were negative. I just go from there. We'll see how I feel in the morning. It happens. You play hard and injuries will happen. Unfortunately, the wall will always win.
"Honestly, I thought I had a pretty good bid on the ball."
The Royals trailed 6-0 before Alex Gordon got them on the board in the fourth, belting a home run off Mike Clevinger, his 11th this season.

Hunter Dozier had two more doubles for the Royals, and now has 11 extra-base hits over his last 12 games.
"I'd like to see anyone hitting the ball harder than him the last two weeks," Yost said.
Ryan O'Hearn?
"Ok, we got the 1-2 guys then," Yost said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Left-hander Jerry Vasto, acquired last Friday from Colorado in the Drew Butera trade, made his Royals debut in the sixth. Vasto turned in a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout.
"Did a nice job," Yost said. "Came in and did a nice job. Threw strikes."

UP NEXT
Right-hander Brad Keller (7-5, 3.26 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals in the series finale in Cleveland on Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. CT. Right-hander Corey Kluber (17-7, 2.80 ERA) will pitch for the Tribe. Keller matched a career high with eight innings last Friday in a 9-2 win over the O's, when he allowed two runs and four hits.