Royals to start Volquez in Game 1
Move gives Cueto chance to make two starts in K.C.
The Kansas City Royals will send Edinson Volquez to the mound in Game 1 of the World Series, choosing their most consistent starter to lead things off against the New York Mets. The more volatile Johnny Cueto will go in Game 2.
Royals manager Ned Yost announced his rotation Monday, the day before the Series gets started at Kauffman Stadium. Yordano Ventura will get the ball when the teams head to Citi Field in New York for Game 3 on Friday, with veteran Chris Young offering a change of pace in Game 4.
“We wanted Johnny Cueto in Game 2 because Johnny really feeds off the home crowd, and we’re able to have Johnny in Game 2 and Game 6 here at home,” Yost said. “We think that gives us a bit of advantage having Johnny pitching at home in front of our home crowd.”
The Mets will start Matt Harvey in Game 1, followed by Jacob deGrom. Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz will follow in the first two games at Citi Field.
Volquez was 13-9 with a 3.55 ERA during the season as the replacement for departed veteran James Shields. And while he was just 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA in three playoff starts, he did toss six innings of two-hit ball to beat Toronto in the ALCS opener.
Twins: Outfielder Torii Hunter told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that he is retiring after 19 seasons. Hunter, 40, played in 48 postseason games with three teams, but he never made a World Series. He finishes with 2,452 hits, 353 homers and a .277 average.
Phillies: Matt Klentak was named general manager and vice president. Klentak, 35, is the youngest GM in team history. He had been the Angels assistant GM since November 2011. Klentak replaces Ruben Amaro Jr., who was fired in September by new team president Andy MacPhail. He takes over a club that finished last in the majors with a 63-99 record.
Marlins: Former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly met this past weekend with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria about the club’s managerial opening, according to multiple reports.
Noteworthy: With MLB facing the possibility of having no black managers for the first time since 1984-87, Commissioner Rob Manfred says the sport must improve minority hiring. Seattle fired Lloyd McClendon, the only remaining African-American manager, five days after the 2015 season ended. Cincinnati fired Dusty Baker after the 2013 season, and in 2014 Houston’s Bo Porter was let go and Texas’ Ron Washington quit.