MLB: Most Hated Players In Baseball Right Now

#5 – Yordano Ventura

A player who has rapidly worked his way up this list in the last two years is Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Ventura is just 25 years old, but he’s already racked up a long list of enemies: Jose Bautista, Mike Trout, Brett Lawrie, Adam Eaton, and – most recently – Manny Machado.

Ventura has a habit of letting his emotions get the best of him, whether due to a perceived slight or simply his own personal struggles. At times, he’s been a lights-out starter. But primarily, he’s struggled to command the 100 mph fastball that makes him both incredibly talented and incredibly dangerous.

Earlier this month, Ventura made headlines when he intentionally threw at Manny Machado three times in a pair of at-bats, finally hitting him in the second at-bat. Machado charged the mound and attacked:

This was hardly the first time Ventura had thrown at a player, and the Royals are rumored to be just as tired of his antics as opposing teams and their fans are. The pitch he threw at Machado was harder than any other pitch thrown that night, and careers are on the line when that kind of velocity is aimed at someone.

The Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Carrasco was at one time a pitcher who had a reputation as a hothead with a penchant for retaliatory pitches, but after a pair of suspensions, he matured and is no longer disliked around the league. Hopefully, Ventura will follow in Carrasco’s footsteps and make his way off this list.

Next: The Fiery Young Outfielder