Kansas City Royals

Report: Yordano Ventura not wearing seat belt during fatal car crash

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:08 a.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura was not wearing a seatbelt when he was killed after he lost control of his Jeep in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, Royals general manager Dayton Moore told The Kansas City Star.

An investigation into Ventura's death is still ongoing.

Moore was brief on the death of the team's starting pitcher, who thrown from his car when he lost control on the mountainous stretch of highway that was covered by a thick fog. Ventura's tires went off the road and an overcorrection resulted in a rollover. No alcohol was reportedly found at the scene of the accident. Toxicology results will take at least three weeks to come back.

Disturbing photographs emerged from the accident on Sunday morning that still showed the car on its side.

Ventura was a fixture in the Royals’ rotation since he finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2014. He went 11–12 last season with a 4.45 ERA. Ventura was close friends with Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras, who was killed in a car crash while driving drunk in October 2014. Ventura pitched his final game while wearing inscriptions on his hat paying tribute to Taveras and Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.

Ventura's funeral will take place in his hometown of Las Terrenas.

Former major leaguer Andy Marte also died on Sunday in a separate car wreck.