Oct. 10 Edinson Volquez Royals workout day interview

Q. You know how big this game is and it's against a guy that hasn't lost at home this year?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: That's the bad news.

Q. How do you approach it?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: I think I just want to pitch my own game, not to worry about what he can do and because that's not my job. My job is keep the game in line and give us a chance to win. And I know he's one of the best pitchers right now in the baseball, so it won't be easy.

Q. Talk about the relationship that you have with Johnny and Yordano, the three of you and how you guys have grown through the season together.

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: Yeah, first of all, talking about Johnny, we played, spent a couple years together in Cincinnati. We know each other a little bit better than Ventura, this is my first year in Kansas City. So we're pretty tight, we're pretty close right now. We try to help Ventura the best we can. As older guys, we have been around a little bit longer than Ventura and we try to teach him the different situations in the game. But I think he's better than us now. He's been pitching better lately. So I think that he learned pretty quick. So he's a smart guy, an emotional guy, and like I said, me and Johnny, we are pretty tight too.

Q. Looking back on the hit by pitch to Springer, how bad did you feel at the time and do you appreciate that he said that it's behind him and he doesn't have any hard feelings?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: Yeah, I feel really bad, because he's a very special young guy. He's a very talented guy. And you see that happen to a young guy, coming up from the minor leagues, you know, that could be a serious injury.

So I felt really bad at the time. I reached out to him and I talked to him a little bit and I said sorry about what happened to him. I was really sad about that.

Q. In the last two games, the Astros have gotten off to hot starts in the early innings. Is that something that you guys -- how important is it obviously to stop these guys from getting a hot the start?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: It's really important, because this is one of the greatest teams in baseball right now and the way I was pitching my last probably three starts and I got quite a bit of starts and it's a good sign to go to the playoffs and stay hot.

Q. If you're watching in the dugout or you're on the mound and someone, let's say -- hopefully if you're not on the mound, but someone hits a homer and there's a bat flip, how do you know when it goes too far? Is it if it's disrespectful or where is that line?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: On my part I don't really get mad any more. I got used to it.

(Laughter.)

I don't get mad. Before maybe when I was young, maybe I was doing something about it, but now I'm kind of an old guy now, I don't -- they can do whatever they want. So if I got a strikeout, I'm going to pimp it, too.

Q. Is it becoming more accepted on some level?

EDINSON VOLQUEZ: Yeah, on my part like I say, yeah, I think nothing wrong with it.