KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sometimes uneventful is a good thing."This has been a great winter for me," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said Friday at the Royals' FanFest. "It all started with the progress we made at the end of last year. I felt good about where we ended. It was just a great winter."Two years ago at FanFest, team members and staff had just returned from pitcher Yordano Ventura's funeral after he was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic."It feels like yesterday. I still miss him dearly," pitcher Danny Duffy said.Last year, the question was whether Yost would be ready to manage after a near-fatal fall from a deer stand on his ranch outside Atlanta. He fell 20 feet when the strap that held the deer stand to the tree came loose. If he hadn't had his cellphone with him, he probably would have bled to death."I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how much," Yost said recently. "I sat there for five minutes and tried to move, but I couldn't. My legs felt they weighed 15,000... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sometimes uneventful is a good thing."This has been a great winter for me," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said Friday at the Royals' FanFest. "It all started with the progress we made at the end of last year. I felt good about where we ended. It was just a great winter."Two years ago at FanFest, team members and staff had just returned from pitcher Yordano Ventura's funeral after he was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic."It feels like yesterday. I still miss him dearly," pitcher Danny Duffy said.Last year, the question was whether Yost would be ready to manage after a near-fatal fall from a deer stand on his ranch outside Atlanta. He fell 20 feet when the strap that held the deer stand to the tree came loose. If he hadn't had his cellphone with him, he probably would have bled to death."I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how much," Yost said recently. "I sat there for five minutes and tried to move, but I couldn't. My legs felt they weighed 15,000... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Drop into just about any bank or supermarket or sports bar in the Kansas City metro area these days and there's a good chance you'll see one of several photographs from just a few years ago hanging on a wall.It might be Yordano Ventura unleashing a fastball. Or Eric Hosmer sliding into home at Citi Field in New York. Or Wade Davis with his arms thrust high into the air, his blazing fastball having just closed out Game 5 of the World Series and making the Kansas City Royals the world champions.More than likely, you'll find the now-iconic photograph of Union Station, where an estimated 400,000 people turned out to celebrate the club's first title in three decades.Those photos are reminders of better times. And how quickly things can change.The Royals, who were indeed baseball royalty in 2015, are now neck and neck with the Orioles for the worst record in baseball. They've traded off their star closer, their best players are struggling and the prospects that might one... [More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — For a few years now, the lowly San Diego Padres have preached about "the process" of their deep rebuild via the draft and signing international players after their win-now attempt with pricey veterans failed so spectacularly in 2015.That process now includes 28-year-old first baseman Eric Hosmer and his potential $144 million contract, a testament to the strength of the Padres' farm system and the willingness of ownership to spend money.Owners Peter Seidler and Ron Fowler consider the signing a "significant moment" in Padres history."Speaking for Ron and myself, when you have to sign a check like that you better have a smile on your face, and we do," Seidler said Tuesday after Hosmer was introduced at a news conference.The draft and player development will remain core principles, "but to get a player and person like Eric Hosmer is a big piece of where we are and what we want to do," Seidler said.Hosmer has been asked to play a leadership role with the Padres after his... [More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Eric Hosmer has joined the San Diego Padres, and will wear a jersey number to honor late Kansas City teammate Yordano Ventura.Hosmer and the Padres completed their $144 million, eight-year contract Monday night. The first baseman joined the team hours after it held its first full-squad workout of spring training.Hosmer will wear No. 30 in honor of Ventura, a pitcher who died in an auto accident in the Dominican Republic last year. Hosmer asked Padres third base coach Glenn Hoffman for the number."It really meant a lot to me, and 'Hoff' was more than open to letting me carry on the number," Hosmer said Tuesday. "And like I told him, I'll wear it with pride each and every day."Hosmer has been asked to play a leadership role with the Padres after his experience in Kansas City, where he won a World Series with the Royals in 2015. He said he looks forward to that role having seen the many young players the organization is developing in the major and minor leagues."It was... [More]

RHP Yordano Ventura, who died Jan. 22, will be saluted by the Royals in their home opener on Monday in a pregame ceremony. Ventura, who tragically lost his life at age 25 in a vehicular accident, will be remembered to Kansas City fans who have yet to mourn his passing with their hometown baseball team with a video salute dedicated to his abbreviated career, special guests and a moment of silence.

RHP Yordano Ventura remains an enigma, still trying to figure it out. His 78 walks ranked second in the American League, while his 4.45 ERA is a career high. Manager Ned Yost said Ventura has "an overpowering fastball, but is not an overpowering pitcher," needing to mix in his off-speed pitches more with better accuracy.

RHP Yordano Ventura finished the season with a losing record, 11-12, and a career high 4.45 ERA. He threw a career high 186 innings, surpassing his 183 in 2014. He went 5-5 with a 3.73 ERA after the All-Star break.

RHP Yordano Ventura allowed 10 hits in four innings Saturday but danced around trouble, stranding eight Tigers before departing when his back tightened up on a double leading off the fifth inning by LF Justin Upton. The injury is not believed to be serious. "We'll see," manager Ned Yost said, "but I don't have any reason to believe right now that he won't (make his scheduled start next week)."

RHP Yordano Ventura earned his first career complete-game victory, holding the White Sox to three runs and nine hits, throwing 92 strikes in 106 pitches. His other complete game was eight innings, a loss at Texas on July 28. At 25 years, 108 days, he is the youngest Royals pitcher to throw a nine-inning complete game since Zack Greinke, 24 years, 176 days on April 14, 2008, at Seattle.

RHP Yordano Ventura has allowed 17 hits and nine earned runs over 11 1/3 innings in losing his past two starts. He is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in three career starts versus the A's. He is 0-5 with a 5.24 ERA in six starts this season against AL West opponents.

RHP Yordano Ventura, who starts Wednesday, is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two career games against the A's. He has not faced them since April 18, 2015, losing 5-0. In a 7-2 loss at Chicago on Friday, Ventura gave up 10 hits, the most he has allowed since July 20, 2015, against the Pirates.

RHP Yordano Ventura was good, but not great in his seven innings in a 7-2 loss to the White Sox on Friday. Ventura kept the Royals in the game, but still gave up 10 hits and four earned runs.

CHICAGO -- Madison Bumgarner emerged victorious in a late-season meeting of ace pitchers in a playoff atmosphere Saturday at Wrigley Field.Bumgarner (14-8) struck out 10 and allowed two runs in six innings as the San Francisco Giants held off the Chicago Cubs 3-2.Bumgarner got the better of Jake Arrieta and the Cubs, who own the best record in baseball. The Cubs fell to 50-20 at home and saw their five-game winning streak snapped after they won the first two games of the four-game series against the Giants.Since the All-Star break, the Giants are just 16-29.The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo drew a walk against Will Smith to begin the bottom of the ninth. After closer Santiago Casilla replaced Smith, Dexter Fowler's sacrifice bunt moved Rizzo to second, but Rizzo overran second and was tagged out for a double play.Kris Bryant lined out to conclude the game. Casilla earned his 30th save.Reigning Cy Young Award winner Arrieta (16-6) gave up three runs -- two earned -- and four hits in six innings. He... [More]

RHP Yordano Ventura won his 10th game, becoming just the sixth Royal to record three 10-win season through his age 25 season. The others are Bret Saberhagen, Mark Gubicza, Kevin Appier, Tom Gordon and Steve Busby.

RHP Yordano Ventura, 3-0 with two no-decisions in his last five starts when he took the Fenway Park mound Sunday night, was chased after 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Boston Red Sox. A key two-base error by CF Paolo Orlando was at the center of Boston's three-run fifth that and Ventura left down 4-2 before being rescued by his teammates.

RHP Yordano Ventura will look for his fourth straight win when he starts against Boston in the series finale Sunday. Ventura is 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in six starts in August and the Royals have won all six of those starts. He is 9-9 with a 4.27 ERA on the season.

RHP Yordano Ventura (9-9) was outstanding on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out six. His fastball reached 100 mph.

RHP Yordano Ventura did not get a win against Detroit on Wednesday, but he kept intact his streak of never losing to the Tigers. Ventura allowed just one run -- a solo homer by Victor Martinez -- in 6 1/3 innings while collecting a no-decision. He has a career 6-0 mark against the Tigers in 10 outings, including nine starts. He has held all opponents to three or fewer runs in eight consecutive starts.

RHP Yordano Ventura has never lost to Detroit and will try to keep that streak going on Wednesday night at Comerica Park. Ventura has a career 6-0 mark against the Tigers in nine outings, including eight starts. He has been on a good run lately, holding opponents to three or fewer runs in seven consecutive starts. That hasn't resulted in many wins, as he is 2-2 with a 3.26 ERA since the All-Star break.