MINNEAPOLIS — When the Kansas City Royals take their places along the third-base line in Minnesota for the introductory ritual of opening day, the absence of their former teammate will surely be felt.
The Twins have planned a pregame tribute to Yordano Ventura, the power-armed starting pitcher who died in a car crash at age 25 during the winter in his native Dominican Republic.
"It's a tough hole to explain that you have when you lose a teammate and you've got six months to spend with somebody and you don't get to do that anymore," Royals left-hander Jason Vargas said.