Jason Vargas has suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, a devastating injury that will require Tommy John surgery, and the Royals have recalled Yordano Ventura to claim Vargas’ spot on the roster. Ventura’s demotion to the minors lasted less than 24 hours.
A few hours after the Royals optioned Ventura to Class AAA Omaha, a decision wrought by his 5.19 ERA and inconsistent pitching, Vargas experienced pain in his left elbow while facing Pittsburgh. He left midway through the second inning. The initial diagnosis was pain on the medial side of his elbow, but he was slated to undergo an MRI on Wednesday.