Yordano Ventura Injury: Updates on Royals P's Elbow and Return

Kansas City Royals hurler Yordano Ventura was reinstated from the disabled list on July 9 in anticipation of his start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. 

Following a solid 2014 that saw Ventura post a 14-10 record with a 3.20 ERA and 1.30 WHIP, the Royals' right-handed pitcher has struggled to set down batters at similar rates. 

Through 12 starts this season, Ventura's gone just 3-6 with a 4.68 ERA while striking out 51 batters and walking 21. Yohan Pino assumed Ventura's place in the rotation. 

All this comes after the promising youngster signed a five-year, $23 million deal in the offseason to help solidify Kansas City's pitching staff. 

"I never bought into the theory that guys want to get their money and ride off into the sunset," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said, per the Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff. "They want to earn their contract, prove they deserve it. He’s probably putting a little too much pressure on himself."

Last season, Ventura battled "lateral elbow discomfort," according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, but the injury didn't prove to be anything too serious.