Royals' Yost turns Ventura's first career ejection into a teaching moment
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Royals manager Ned Yost said he has not heard from the league regarding possible further discipline for Yordano Ventura after he hit Brett Lawrie with a pitch Saturday night.
Yost said the club would probably hear from the league in the next few days and was not sure if Ventura would be suspended.
"We can think a bunch of different things, but we'll see," Yost said.
In the fourth inning Saturday, Ventura plunked Lawrie on the elbow with a 99-mph fastball, one night after Lawrie's controversial slide at second took out shortstop Alcides Escobar. Ventura was immediately ejected from the game.
It was Ventura's first career ejection, and he walked toward Lawrie on the first-base line before Salvador Perez ushered him away from the fray. Yost said Ventura, at just 23, was still young and has some learning to do.
"A situation like what happened last night are great teaching moments," Yost said. "They're good moments to take back and sit down and say, 'OK, this is what we could have done better, this is what we need to continue to stay focused on.'
"A lot of times, things like that, they look bad, but in the long run, they can be good because you can learn from those types of situations how to become a better player."
While some rhetoric from Oakland's clubhouse Saturday night may have suggested otherwise, Yost said the score was settled and the drama is over with heading into Sunday's series finale.
"It's over. It's over. It's done," Yost said. "Sometimes, that's the best way. It gets taken care of any way it gets taken care of, and it's over. I don't believe there's any carryover. None."
PREGAME NOTES
• Escobar was not in Sunday's starting lineup, still recovering from a mild left knee sprain and contusion suffered during Lawrie's slide. Yost said Escobar would be available if needed Sunday, but the club would like to give him another day to rest.
When he missed Saturday's game, Escobar's streak of 172 consecutive games played was snapped.
"Once we get past this, he'll go on another long run, so we'll take advantage of making sure he feels good," Yost said.
• Paulo Orlando started his third straight game in right field, but Yost said he has not landed permanently on Orlando in right. Yost did say, though, that Orlando would be in right field more times than not.
"Right now, I like what he's doing out there," Yost said. "I like the way he's playing right field. He's done a nice job, made some really nice plays. He's handling that position well and swinging the bat OK."
Kansas City is without normal right fielder Alex Rios with a fractured left hand, and had initially planned on platooning Orlando with Jarrod Dyson in right field. But Dyson started one game in right field and hasn't returned since.
• Another day game after a night game, another opposing left-handed pitcher. Sunday is the fourth such game for the Royals, and the circumstances have allowed Kansas City to rest left fielder Alex Gordon, who is recovering from offseason wrist surgery.
Gordon was out of the lineup again Sunday, and Yost said the arrangement would likely last until the end of April. Gordon has heated up recently, going 5 for 11 in his last three games after notching just one hit in his first five games.
"I think the recovery time that we're giving him on day games after night games is helping him," Yost said. "It's getting stronger and stronger and stronger as we go. I think he's swinging the bat much better. But he's always been kind of a slow starter, even with the good wrist last season."
• Erik Kratz started for the first time this season, in place of Salvador Perez, on Sunday. Between the regular season and postseason last season, Perez started 158 of a possible 177 games behind the plate.
You can follow Matthew DeFranks on Twitter at @MDeFranks or email him at matthew.defranks@gmail.com.
