Duffy lands Opening Day nod for Royals

For a second straight season, Danny Duffy will start for the Kansas City Royals on Opening Day, as manager Ned Yost confirmed Thursday that the 29-year-old left-hander will take the mound March 29 against the Chicago White Sox.

Veteran right-hander Ian Kennedy will slide in behind Duffy in the rotation, Yost added, though he hasn't yet decided how he'll fill out the rest of his rotation.

Last year, in his first-ever Opening Day assignment, Duffy settled for a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins despite allowing just one run on three hits and three walks while striking out eight over six innings in an eventual 7-1 loss at Target Field. Duffy, who finalized a five-year, $65-million extension last winter, crafted a 3.81 ERA (117 ERA+) with a 1.26 WHIP over 24 starts in 2017. He missed roughly six weeks with an oblique strain early in the season before spending nearly a month on the disabled list down the stretch due to an elbow impingement.

Through three Cactus League starts this spring, Duffy - who was sentenced in January to one year of probation stemming from an August arrest for driving under the influence - owns a 9.35 ERA and 1.62 WHIP, having allowed three home runs while issuing four walks over 8 2/3 innings.