ST. PETERSBURG -- Matt Duffy said on Friday that he will not play this season, but the Rays shortstop believes he'll be ready for 2018.
"The plan is looking toward instructional league," said Duffy, who began the season on the disabled list while trying to recover from Achilles surgery and later had a second surgery. "The goal is to not have any reservations going into Spring Training, and having as normal an offseason as possible."
Duffy arrived at Spring Training expecting to be ready to play by mid-March. The Rays expected him to be their starting shortstop. Obviously, that forecast did not come to fruition.
The Rays acquired Duffy in a four-player trade that sent Matt Moore to the Giants on Aug. 1, 2016. Duffy took over at short and did not make an error in 18 games (55 chances, 153 innings) at the position. He hit .276 with a home run and seven RBIs before having season-ending surgery in Charlotte, N.C., to remove the bursa from the heel and debride the bone abnormality.
"[A painful Achilles] has always been something I've dealt with, but it's feeling good now, and hopefully the worst is finally behind me," Duffy said.
Worth noting
• Evan Longoria was honored in a pregame ceremony as the Rays' Roberto Clemente Award nominee. This was the second time Longoria has earned the nomination (2014). Longoria selected Canine Estates, an animal shelter in Palm Harbor, Fla., as the charity of his choice to receive a $7,500 donation in his name.
• Right-hander Jacob Faria (left abdominal strain) was activated from the 10-day DL and will be available out of the bullpen.
"I'm just glad to be back, the team's in a playoff push, especially with the teams we're going to be facing over the next week and a half," Faria said. "This is an important stretch, and I'm glad to contribute in whatever capacity that might be."