Royals enter 2017 motivated to play in Ventura's honor

As some members of the Kansas City Royals roster make their way to spring training, reality has begun to set in that 2017 will be played without "Ace 30" leading the way.

The Royals continue to mourn the tragic death of 25-year-old starter Yordano Ventura, who died in a Jan. 22 car accident in his native Dominican Republic. Although his absence is felt within the Royals clubhouse, his teammates maintain the desire to play 2017 remembering one of the most talented pitchers the club has seen in a long time.

"It's tough," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "It’s not something we will get over. It’s not something we will forget.

"But we will continue to live our lives, and play for his family, and himself."

Along with the Royals, another organization enters spring training coping with loss. The Miami Marlins open 2017 without one of baseball's best young pitchers following Jose Fernandez's death in September. Shortly after Ventura's passing, Marlins president Michael Hill called Royals general manager Dayton Moore to offer his sympathy and give the organization advice on how to endure such a devastating loss.

"It’s hard, and yes, it still hurts,’" Moore said. "This has always been a close-knit group, but now the bond between our players and our organization have deepened because of it. We also all understand the brevity of life, and Yordano reminded us that tomorrow isn’t promised to us.

"But I think our players will get through this. These players adapt better than most people on the planet. They’ve dealt with similar adversities in their life, and that’s what provided the toughness and grit to make them major-league players."

The Royals begin 2017 with their core intact and are primed for another run at a World Series. Since Ventura's death, the team has attempted to fill his void in the starting rotation by signing Jason Hammel and Travis Wood to two-year deals.