The Texas Rangers signed Los Angeles Dodgers free agent Danny Duffy to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
Duffy was acquired by the Dodgers from the Kansas City Royals at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for Minor League pitcher Zach Willeman, but he was on the 10-day injured list at the time of the deal.
The Dodgers hoped he would return from a left flexor strain during the second half of the season, but that never came to fruition and the veteran southpaw underwent offseason surgery. The Dodgers then re-signed Duffy last March to a one-year contract with a team option for 2023.
They believed he was going to return around the midway point of the 2022 season and would be a valuable option out of the bullpen, but the closest Duffy got to a return was going on a Minor League rehab assignment.
In August, the Dodgers said Duffy would miss the rest of the season due to his injuries, but it was later revealed to be elbow soreness that he overcame to continue with the rehab assignment. The then-33-year-old pitched in seven games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, throwing 6.2 innings with a 5.40 ERA.
However, Duffy shut down when he was not recovering well between appearances, and it officially ended his quest to pitch.
Following the season, the Dodgers declined to pick up their $7 million team option, which made Duffy a free agent.
Duffy’s last Major League appearance came during the 2021 season when he appeared in 13 games (12 starts) for the Royals, going 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 65 strikeouts. The 2015 World Series winner spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Royals, posting a 68-68 record with a 3.95 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 1,048 strikeouts.
Originally selected in the third round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Cabrillo High School, Duffy recorded a career-best 12-3 with a 3.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 188 strikeouts in 42 games (26 starts) during the 2016 season.
In addition to Duffy, the Rangers also signed right-handed reliever Reyes Moronta, who spent part of the 2022 season with the Dodgers, to a Minor League deal.
Dodgers sign Dylan Covey to Minor League deal
The Dodgers signed Dylan Covey to a Minor League contract that includes a non-roster invite to 2023 Spring Training.
A former fourth-round selection in the 2013 MLB Draft, Covey spent parts of four seasons with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. He’s logged a combined 6.57 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and a 5.48 FIP across 264.1 innings during that span.
The right-hander hasn’t pitched in the Majors since the 2020 season, but after signing with the Rakuten Monkeys prior to the 2021 campaign, he posted a 3.63 ERA, 1.38 WHIP in 198.1 innings.
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