Royals Ink Right-Handed Pitcher Yordano Ventura to Multi-Year Deal
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 4, 2015) - The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has signed right-handed pitcher Yordano Ventura to a five-year contract, which runs through the 2019 season with club options for 2020 and 2021. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not announced.
Ventura, 23, is coming off one of the best rookie seasons in club history, going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA (65 ER in 183.0 IP) in 30 starts. He became the fourth Royals rookie to make 30 starts or more, joining Steve Busby (37 in 1973), Dennis Leonard (30 in 1975) and Rich Gale (30 in 1978), while his 14 victories were fourth-most all-time by a KC first-year pitcher and the most since Tom Gordon's 17 wins during his 1988 rookie campaign. Ventura led A.L. rookies in quality starts (22), innings (183.0) and opponents' average (.240), while his ERA ranked 10th in the league overall.
The rookie right-hander also made five appearances and four starts during the postseason, going 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA (9 ER in 25.1 IP), with 14 strikeouts. He earned the victory in Game #6 of the World Series, tossing 7.0 shutout innings as KC forced a deciding game in the Fall Classic. In his two World Series starts, Ventura allowed just two runs in 12.1 frames (1.46 ERA).
He was named the club's starting pitcher for Monday's opener against the Chicago White Sox, making him the second-youngest Opening Day starter (23 years, 307 days) in club history. Only Steve Busby (23 years, 189 days) was younger when he made his Opening Day start on April 6, 1973 against the California Angels.
For additional information, members of the media may contact the Royals Media Relations Department at (816) 921-8000.