Ned Yost said Monday night that the Kansas City Royals will use Yordano Ventura as their No. 3 starter this season.

"We knew this was probably the way it was going to go," Yost said. "After tonight I think we've just seen enough. There's no reason not to announce this now."

Ventura, 22, was a non-roster invitee to last year's spring camp and has made all of three starts, all of them for the Royals, in the Major Leagues.

"That's not my decision," Ventura said through Bruce Chen, interpreting. "My job is to go out there and pitch well every time."