Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura died Sunday at the age of 25 after a car accident in his native Dominican Republic, the team confirmed.
Ventura went 11-12 in the 2016 season and posted a 4.45 ERA. He was a member of the Royals’ 2015 World Series-winning team.
In a separate incident, also in the Dominican Republic, former MLB player Andy Marte was also killed in a car accident, reports CBSSports.com. He was 33.
Once a top prospect, Marte played parts of seven MLB seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks. Most recently, he played for the KT Wiz in the Korean Baseball Association.
In a tragic coincidence, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, a friend of Ventura’s, was also killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2014. He was 22.
During the 2014 World Series, Ventura started Game 6, just days after Taveras’ death. Ventura paid tribute to Taveras, writing “RIP O.T. #18” on his cap.
The deaths of Ventura and Marte come months after the passing of another MLB pitcher, Jose Fernandez.
Fernandez, a 24-year-old starter for the Miami Marlins, died in a boating accident in October.
Baseball stars took to Twitter Sunday morning to express their shock and grief over the two deaths.
“To the families of Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte. I send my deepest condolences. RIP,” wrote Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen.
Major League Baseball also tweeted its condolences.
