Kansas City Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez will start Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, per USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale.
Volquez pitched six innings Tuesday in Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Mets, allowing six hits and three earned runs while earning a no-decision in the Royals’ 5-4 victory in 14 innings.
Volquez’s father, Daniel, died Tuesday. Nightengale reported Wednesday the Royals broke the news of the death to the starting pitcher after he was taken out of the game, per his family’s wishes. Kansas City manager Ned Yost expressed his feelings on the situation after the contest, per Nightengale.
The whole time I kept thinking, Eddie was out there pitching his tail off, and I kept thinking, his dad isn’t watching him. His first start in a World Series and his dad isn’t watching him.
I was really monitoring him. He was happy, upbeat. He was there talking to all of his friends. Ok, he doesn’t know anything.
According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Volquez flew back to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday. The Kansas City Star‘s Andy McCullough reported he will return to the team sometime when it is in New York.
In the meantime, the series resumes Wednesday night with Johnny Cueto on the hill for the Royals, facing Jacob deGrom of the Mets. The Mets used six pitchers Tuesday, while the Royals sent seven to the mound in the 14-inning affair.
Not having Volquez in the rotation would have posed a major problem for the Royals.
Kansas City pitched Chris Young—whom it scheduled to pitch Game 4—three innings in relief Tuesday, and he ended up getting the win. The Royals announced Young, who lost his father to cancer in September, will pitch his scheduled start on three days of rest despite throwing 53 pitches in Game 1, per Major League Baseball’s Twitter account.
It’s not clear when Volquez will rejoin the team, but it seems he will be ready to go for his final start of the year. After winning 13 games in the regular season with a 3.55 ERA, Volquez has posted a 1-2 record and a 4.37 ERA in four postseason starts this year.
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