Danny Duffy clasped his hands and stared back at home-plate umpire Bruce Dreckman in the early moments of Tuesday night’s game. He took one step toward the plate, then another. As his feet touched the infield grass, he mimicked his set position and yelled toward home.
“I stopped,” Duffy said.
It was the bottom of the second inning at Guaranteed Rate Field, just moments after Duffy, the Royals’ starter, had been called for a controversial balk with runners at first and second and two out. The moment infuriated Duffy and irked the men inside the Royals dugout.