Kansas City Royals starter Yordano Ventura has made some headlines within the past 24 hours, making him a subject of trade talks that could realistically involve the New York Yankees.
When Yordano Ventura fired a 99 MPH fastball into Manny Machado’s midsection, got clocked in the face, and benches cleared between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles, a lot changed with regards to his status with his team that can have a direct connection to the New York Yankees.Ventura is a talented arm to say the least, yet has had his struggles and inconsistencies. He currently possesses a 5.32 ERA in 12 starts this season and is tied for the American League lead in walks (35). The right-hander’s recent downfall was exemplified by his latest antics in last night’s contest.
Due to his hot head and underperformance, a Sports Illustrated report stated that the Royals have reached out to teams about trading the 25-year-old. His reported poor attitude is a key focal point in these talks.
With that said, his overall attitude, personal situation, and morale could be stemming these on the field struggles. Ventura is a hard throwing youngster with tremendous upside who has won 27 regular season games for Kansas City in the past two years with a stellar 3.61 ERA. In addition, he possesses valuable postseason experience that includes 10 appearances over two Royals playoff runs.
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His most notable career start was back in 2014 when he hurled seven scoreless frames in a 10-0 Game 6 win over the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
As the trade deadline nears, would a Ventura acquisition make sense for the Yankees?
It very well may for a few reasons. The front office has a reputation for taking players that have proven past success and extracting it out of them once again. That is exactly the case with Ventura in this situation. The Yanks can pair Larry Rothschild with the flame thrower and get the best possible results.
Another factor to ponder is the price. Brian Cashman would be able to get him off Kansas City’s hands for cheap, especially given recent circumstances. He would not have to part with any top tier prospects or true talent on the 25-man roster.
A potential acquisition of the right-hander would not be a move that the organization is unfamiliar with. In fact, the Aroldis Chapman trade draws direct resemblance.
Chapman had substantial off the field issues that the Cincinnati Reds did not want to deal with, so the asking price was low. The Yankees were able to take Chapman under their wing and showcase already known brilliance.
The starting pitching of the New York Yankees has over performed of late, still contains question marks, and it is not unreasonable to assume that each and every piece will tail off. If you take that into account, this move would make perfect and logical sense.
