Ex-Twins pitcher Tyler Duffey reveals cancer diagnosis

Duffey underwent a procedure to remove the melanoma on Feb. 27.

Tyler Duffey, the 33-year-old pitcher who spent a decade in the Minnesota Twins organization, has had a whirlwind start to the 2024 season as his arrival to Kansas City Royals spring training was accompanied by a melanoma diagnosis. 

On Wednesday, Duffey spoke publicly about his surprising skin cancer diagnosis that happened in the blink of an eye when he asked a Royals team doctor to take a look at a spot on his back. 

"I don't love that one," Duffey recalled the doctor telling him. 

Biopsy results came back to Duffey on Feb. 26. One day later he underwent a procedure on his upper back that left him with 40 stitchers – and hopefully no more cancer. 

"Here we are, which I'm incredibly grateful for," Duffey said Wednesday, having noted that he initially asked the doctor if he could wait until the baseball season was over to have the procedure. 

With tears in his eyes, Duffey explained to the assembled media that his father, who died in 2021, had melanoma, and his mother, who died in 2012, battled breast cancer.

"It takes nothing to get checked, that’s the biggest thing I’ve taken from it. It’s no effort other than showing up," Duffey said. 

"We caught it very early, which is the best blessing of it all and I'm able to play baseball, hopefully in a week or two," Duffey continued. "It's been a weird week, a lot of emotions. But yeah, I think we're in a good place and everybody here is taking good care of me."

Tyler Duffey opened up about how his physical this spring led to the discovery and treatment of melanoma in his left shoulder area: "It takes nothing to get checked, I guess that's the biggest thing I've taken from it. ... Luckily I did it, and here we are." pic.twitter.com/GzID7Hp3vd

— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) March 7, 2024

Duffey made 295 appearances for the Twins from 2015 to 2022, having been a fifth-round draft pick from Rice University in 2012. His best seasons with the Twins were 2019 and 2020, when he posted earned-run averages of 2.50 and 1.88, respectively. 

After Minnesota released him in August of 2022, the right-hander bounced around with the Rangers, Yankees and Cubs last season but only made one appearance in a big-league game. 

May 26, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Tyler Duffey (21) reacts during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field / Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports