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Where Rays shortstop Matt Duffy's lost season leads

 
Rays shortstop Matt Duffy plays in his first game (since rehab was aborted) with the club's instructional league on Monday at the Pirate City baseball field and spring training complex in Bradenton [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD  |  Times]
Rays shortstop Matt Duffy plays in his first game (since rehab was aborted) with the club's instructional league on Monday at the Pirate City baseball field and spring training complex in Bradenton [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]
Published Sept. 26, 2017

BRADENTON — In a perfect world, Matt Duffy would have been in New York on Monday with his Rays teammates enjoying the final off day of the year. Instead, he was on Field 4 at Pirate City on a sweltering afternoon, trying to restart his season.

Duffy, whose season was derailed by complications from offseason surgery on his left heel, batted three times and played shortstop for three innings during the Rays' instructional league game against a squad from the Pirates.

"I'm happy with where I'm at," Duffy said. "For the first game it feels pretty good. I didn't push it. I didn't try to do too much."

Duffy said he "pushed it" during his morning workout at Charlotte Sports Park.

"It's a little sore," he said, "but I feel much better than I did when I went on my rehab assignment."

That rehab assignment, back in May, lasted three games. The pain in the heel resurfaced, and a follow-up exam with Dr. Bob Anderson, who performed the original surgery Sept. 9, 2016, discovered a calcium deposit in the area that was removed during another procedure.

Finally, after a year of starts and stops — Duffy was supposed to be ready for last spring training — the shortstop acquired from the Giants on Aug. 1, 2016, was back on the field. He grounded out twice and was grazed on the front of his jersey by a pitch. He had one ball hit to him, which became the final out of his final inning.

The goal is to build up Duffy's innings over the remaining seven instructional league games during the next two weeks to, ideally, the point where he can play a full nine-inning game.

That, Duffy said, will give him peace of mind heading into the offseason.

"That's the biggest thing," he said.

Duffy suffered the injury June 19, 2016, while playing at Tropicana Field for the Giants. He was on the disabled list when he was acquired in the Matt Moore trade. He played 21 games with the Rays last season before opting for the surgery he believed would lead to a healthy 2017.

Never did he expect to miss the entire year.

"No. Definitely not," he said. "I was told three to six months. It is what it is. I don't think about that too much anymore. It's just wasted energy, frustrating myself. It costs me the year, it stinks, but I'm not going to get it back.

"I could try to take a positive and say, 'Hey, I'm gaining one year on the back end, less wear and tear at this point.' I have come to peace with the fact it's taken me the whole year, unfortunately."

Chaim Bloom, the Rays senior vice president of baseball operations, was one of the many player development personnel on hand for Monday's game that included such prospects as shortstop Lucius Fox (acquired from the Giants in the same trade) and first baseman/left-hander Brendan McKay, the Rays' top pick in the June draft.

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Duffy is very much in the plans for next season, even if the Rays retain arbitration-eligible shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria during the winter.

"It's been a really frustrating year for Matt and for all of us," Bloom said. "We know how much he loves to play. We've seen how hard he's worked through all the issues he's had. We are optimistic that this is the light at the end of the tunnel, and that he's going to go into the offseason feeling like a baseball player and ready for a healthy 2018."

Duffy agreed that he is at the end of the tunnel.

"I think so," he said. "I can see it, for sure, especially with the offseason coming up. Get in a few games here, be able to strengthen in the offseason, continue to rehabilitate it, have a semi-normal offseason, have a good spring training. I'm excited about that."

Contact Roger Mooney at rmooney@tampabay.com. Follow @rogermooney50.