KC Royals, Yordano Ventura Close to Extension

It was a matter of time before the KC Royals extended one of their young starters. The biggest question was whether or not Yordano Ventura or Danny Duffy would be the first to receive, or accept, the offer. Now, it appears as though we have our answer, as Ventura and the Royals are reportedly close to finalizing an extension. According to Jeff Passan, the extension appears as though it would be for five years, guaranteeing $22 Million, plus two option years.

If this is, indeed, close to the final contract, the Royals would appear to have a bargain on par with the contract that Salvador Perez had signed. In his first full season, Ventura dazzled with his 100+ MPH fastball en route to a solid 14-10 record with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.295 WHiP. At only 23 years old, and already slotted in as the ace on the Royals staff, the future definitely appears bright for Ventura.

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Of course, any contract extension, especially to a young pitcher, is fraught with risk. There is no guarantee that any pitcher will continue to progress as expected. Yet, given the bulldog mentality that Yordano Ventura has already displayed, especially during his start during Game Six of the World Series, signing Ventura to this extension may not have the same risk as normal. His apparent will to succeed may be enough to mitigate those concerns.

With the young talent starting to shine on the Major League stage, it seemed to be a matter of time before the Royals started signing their younger players to contract extensions. With Perez and Ventura locked in, Dayton Moore and the Royals have certainly begun to lock in the core of what could be a contending team for years to come.

Now that the Process has finally achieved its desired results, it is time for the second phase of the program. Locking up Yordano Ventura is a great way to begin that part. It truly is a great time to be a fan of the KC Royals.

*Update – 2:36 PM EST* The contract is for 5 years and $23 Million with two team options and will be signed pending a psychical.

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