Yordano Ventura optioned to Triple-A Omaha

The Royals have sent Yordano Ventura to Triple-A Omaha, according to Jeffrey Flanagan:

It happened. Yordano Ventura optioned to Omaha. #Royals

— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) July 21, 2015

The Royals were facing a numbers crunch in the rotation, and apparently felt that sending down Ventura was the best way to alleviate some of that pressure. With Kris Medlen and Jason Vargas set to return, the rotation still faces a bit of a dilemma, though it is apparent after last night's game that Medlen will not be making a start for at least five days or so.

On the year, Ventura was 4-7 with a 5.19 ERA, and if you stopped there you would have a reasonable argument for sending him down. By other measures, Ventura has been roughly the same pitcher he was last year:

2014: 3.20/3.60/3.74, 7.82 K/9, 3.39 BB/9
2015: 5.19, 3.69/3.68, 7.66 K/9, 2.95 BB/9

It is clear that the results were not what Kansas City was hoping for, and baseball is, if nothing else, a results-based business. There is also the simple fact that, of all of the starting pitchers floating around the Royals rotation, Ventura has options. So yeah.

This leaves the Royals with a rotation consisting of Edinson Volquez, Danny Duffy, Chris Young, Jason Vargas, and Jeremy Guthrie, otherwise known as the march of nickels.