Royals pitcher Danny Duffy cited for DUI
Kansas City Royals pitcher Danny Duffy was cited with driving under the influence Sunday, according to reports. Police confirmed the news Tuesday, but would not comment further until the official report was released, according to the Kansas City Star.
Details are scarce at the moment. As of right now, we know Duffy was cited for a DUI in Overland Park around 8 p.m. on Sunday. The Royals were in Cleveland that day, but Duffy is currently rehabbing from an arm injury. That’s why he was in Kansas City when the team was on the road.
Duffy was at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, but declined to speak with reporters, instead opting to spend his time in the trainer’s room, according to the Star.
The 28-year-old has a 3.78 ERA over 131 innings this season.
It’s unclear whether Duffy will face punishment from the league or from the Royals for the DUI. Major League Baseball has a spotty history with DUIs. There’s no league policy regarding DUIs, like there is with domestic violence.
The last player to be charged with a significant alcohol-related infraction was Milwaukee Brewers reliever Jeremy Jeffress. Jeffress – at the time a member of the Texas Rangers – was charged with a DWI. He was placed on the restricted list by the team, and opted to go to rehab. He did not receive a suspension from the league.
While the Royals are in the midst of a terrible stretch, the team still remains on the fringes of playoff contention. Duffy is currently injured, but losing him to a suspension would be another blow to the team’s chances.
Now that the news is out there, Duffy and the Royals will likely address the situation Tuesday. The league will likely make a decision regarding possible punishment – if there is one – in the next couple days.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
