KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura crumpled to the infield turf Monday afternoon, Kauffman Stadium fell silent.
The euphoria of the ring ceremony and the banner raising did nothing to quell the potential heartbreak fans faced if their new ace got hurt. Now, they can breathe easy.
Ventura's seventh-inning injury was diagnosed as a right thumb cramp that the club doesn't envision being serious. Ventura said he has had hand cramps before in games, but never had to leave because of them.
"(I) felt it lock up on (me)," he said through translator Jeremy Guthrie. "(My) first thought was it was something really bad, but (I'm) just really happy it's not and (I'm) not concerned about missing any time."
After Adam LaRoche fouled off a 2-0 offering, Ventura collapsed, threw off his glove and writhed in pain on the infield grass. He clutched his right hand as teammates, trainers and manager Ned Yost rushed to tend to him.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar was one of the players rushing to Ventura's side.
"When I saw the glove, I said, 'Oh my God, what happened?'" he said. "That's what I'm saying. After that, I said, 'Thank God.'"
Ventura walked off the field under his own power and Kelvin Herrera replaced him on the mound. Ventura finished with six innings pitched, having allowed just one run, a solo homer to Jose Abreu. Ventura struck out two and walked one.
"Literally, you just gotta pull your thumb out and, ah, it feels better," he said. "It was a pretty extensive cramp. But we're all kind of laughing about it now."
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With Ventura already at 81 pitches and the Royals holding a 4-1 lead, Yost opted for the bullpen.
Just two days earlier, Ventura had signed a five-year, $23 million contract extension that will keep him in Kansas City through at least the 2019 season. The club has the option to keep Ventura in both 2020 and 2021. Monday was his first career Opening Day start.
"He's a kid that has tremendous composure," Yost said. "This type of situation doesn't faze him at all and (he) was really throwing the ball well."
You can follow Matthew DeFranks on Twitter at @MDeFranks or email him at matthew.defranks@gmail.com.
