The Kansas City Royals and left-handed starting pitcher Danny Duffy are reportedly open to discussing a contract extension according to The Kansas City Star’s Rustin Dodd.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore let it be known that the extension talks will be held at the “appropriate time”, which like means after the conclusion of the 2016 season.

From Dodd’s article on The Kansas City Star:

For now, the Royals and Duffy have not engaged in any talks about a possible extension following this season. Moore said conversations on those matters would take place “at the appropriate time.”

“Danny has been a very important part of our organization and our pitching staff,” Moore said. “And we’ll work very hard to keep him a part of what we’re doing going forward.”

While Moore and Duffy haven’t yet negotiated about a contract extension, the indication from both sides is that they would love to get it done when the time is right:

“I don’t picture myself wearing anything but a Royals jersey….I’m not trying to pull out the violin, but I want to be here,” Duffy said. “They’ve been really good to me, good to my family.  And it would just be absolutely devastating if I ever had to leave. In a perfect world, I would be here forever.”

The 28-year-old Duffy, who will be arbitration legible for the third in final time this winter, meaning he will become a free agent once the 2017 season ends if an extension is not reached prior.

Duffy is currently 11-1 on the year with a 2.66 earned run average and 147 strikeouts over 138.2 innings of work this season. The 2.66 ERA is second in the American League only to Tigers rookie Michael Fulmer, while Duffy leads the AL in WHIP and win percentage.

There may however be a risk to signing Duffy to a long-term deal. In 2014, he posted a 2.53 ERA in 149.1 innings, and then came back last year to have a 4.08 ERA over 136.2 innings of work. Most of his struggles in 2015 can also be traced back to injuries, which is the case.

2017 will be quite the interesting off-season for the defending World Series champion Royals. Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Wade Davis, and Duffy are all scheduled to become free agents, while Alcides Escobar could be thrown into that pool if Kansas City decides to decline his multiple team options attached to his contract.

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