Yordano Ventura and Royals finalize five-year extension
The Kansas City Royals and Yordano Ventura have reached an agreement on a new five-year contract extension, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. According to Heyman, the deal is worth a guaranteed $23 million and will include two option years, which could keep him under Royals control through the 2021 season. That would cover all of Ventura’s arbitration years and his first two seasons of free agency.
Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan was the first to report an agreement was near on Friday night., noting that Ventura’s deal was expected to be similar to that of Atlanta starter Julio Teheran, who signed last spring with the same amount of service time for $32.4 million over six years plus a club option.
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Ventura, 23, was a rookie sensation for Kansas City last season, posting a 3.20 ERA and 159/69 K/BB ratio over 183 innings. He stepped his game up another level in the postseason, capping his season with seven shutout innings against the San Francisco Giants in Game 6 of the World Series, which helped Kansas City force a decisive Game 7. That dominant performance was dedicated to his friend, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, who was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.
He’s scheduled to be Kansas City’s starting pitcher when they open the season against the Chicago White Sox on Monday.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813