Royals LHP Vargas suffers torn UCL

Kansas City Royals left-hander Jason Vargas was placed back on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, a day after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.

Vargas already spent two stints on the disabled list this season because of a balky elbow.

The Kansas City Royals shipped opening-day starter Yordano Ventura to the minor leagues on Tuesday.

Vargas left his start against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night after throwing just 26 pitches. “It didn’t feel good by any means”.

The 32-year-old veteran had just returned from the disabled list, which necessitated Ventura’s demotion, after missing six weeks because of a strained left flexor muscle.

“Everybody still knows if we make it back to the World Series he’s going to be a big reason why”, Yost said.

Ventura is 4-7 with 5.19 ERA, and he is responsible for the start of the White Sox brawl in April. “Everybody believes in him 100 percent”.

Last offseason Vargas signed a four-year, $32 million deal with the Royals as a free agent and he’s pitched about as well as could have been expected with a 3.76 ERA in 39 starts, but Tommy John surgery could knock him out of action until 2017. He went 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA in three postseason starts.