KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Despite three consecutive rough outings, Danny Duffy will stay in the Royals' rotation, manager Ned Yost said Sunday morning.
"He's going to make his next start," Yost said.
Duffy gave up four runs across five innings Saturday night, his third straight start allowing at least four runs. In those three outings, he has thrown a combined 9 2/3 innings, given up 14 earned runs (13.03 ERA) on 15 hits and 10 walks (2.586 WHIP).
With two off days this week, Kansas City could shuffle its rotation and skip Duffy's next turn, but Yost said he has confidence Duffy will bounce back.
Duffy is one of the few Royals pitchers who still has options remaining, meaning he would not have to clear waivers before being sent to the minor leagues. With Jason Vargas potentially ready to return by next weekend, Duffy could be the odd man out to clear roster space.
Vargas (left flexor strain) threw his first bullpen session Sunday morning, throwing all of his pitches and saying his arm felt good. Yost said Vargas would not need a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues.
Yost didn't seem concerned about the Royals' impending roster crunch when Vargas returns, made tighter with Joe Blanton's call to the big-league team Saturday.
"That'll all be ironed out by the time he gets ready," Yost said. "We'll know more when we get there."
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Gordon sits Sunday
Left fielder Alex Gordon was out of Sunday's lineup, Yost saying Gordon was dealing with a minor leg injury suffered when he was hit by a pitch during the last road trip.
"His leg's been a little sore," Yost said. "Gives us an opportunity to give him a day off and then a day off going into tomorrow."
Jarrod Dyson started in left field in Gordon's absence.
Updates on Rios, Kratz
Yost said Alex Rios has graduated to hitting soft tosses in his rehab from a fractured left hand. Rios had previously just been hitting off a tee and has missed the past 30 games after being hit with a pitch in Minnesota.
Erik Kratz (plantar fasciitis) will need a rehab stint before he is activated from the 15-day disabled list, Yost said. The rehab assignment gives Kratz a chance to face live pitching and also buys the club time to figure out its backup catcher situation.
Drew Butera is currently the Royals' backup catcher, but both Kratz and Butera are out of options, meaning the club will likely have to let one go.
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