Kansas City Royals SP Yordano Ventura 25, died Sunday morning in a tragic car accident in the Dominican Republic.
The Royals confirmed his death, Jeffrey Flanagan and Matt Kardos of MLB.com shared the team’s statement:
We suffered an incredible loss today,” ISE Baseball, Ventura’s agency said in a statement. “Our hearts and souls are broken with the passing of Yordano Ventura. Yordano’s heart and passion for the game of baseball and for life had no equal. Today we lost a teammate, who never backed down; a friend who never let you down’ and a brother, who always made you smile. Rest in peace.”
Royals players Nolan Watson and Mike Moustakas reacted and express their compassion to the news.
“ACE I love you my brother. I’m in disbelief and don’t know what to say. I love you ACE 🙏🏽.” wrote Eric Hosmer on Instagram
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, sportswriter Jesse Spector and the executive director of the MLBPA Tony Clark, reacted to the “Awful news.”
Four seasons with the Kansas City Royals as a starting pitcher, going 38-31 in his career with a 3.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 470 strikeouts. Ventura also started nine games in the postseason for the Royals between 2014 and 2015, which included the team’s World Series championship in 2015.
While he had regressed somewhat after a fabulous 2014 season, he was still considered as a brilliant young talent who was overflowing with potential and was capable of hitting 100 mph on his fastball.
On the same day former MLB player Andy Marte also died in the Dominican Republic in a separate car accident.
