The Kansas City Royals named James Shields its Game 1 starter for the 2014 World Series, Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. Manager Ned Yost made the announcement after the Royals' team workout on Saturday.
Yost also announced Yodano Ventura will start Game 2, on Wednesday night.
Shields is the Royals' ace so this was no surprise, at 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA, with 180 strikeouts and 44 walks in 227 innings this season. It will be the 10th career postseason start for Shields, who has struggled in the playoffs in 2014, allowing 10 runs on 21 hits in 16 innings, a 5.63 ERA, with 15 strikeouts and five walks.
This is the second World Series start for Shields, who started and won Game 2 of the 2008 World Series for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching 5⅔ scoreless innings.
AL Champions
The Giants haven't yet announced its starter for Game 1, though ace Madison Bumgarner would be on regular rest after pitching on Thursday night in San Francisco's NLCS clincher. Bumgarner is 2-1 with a 1.42 ERA in four postseason starts this season, with 28 strikeouts and five walks in 31⅔ innings.
Game 1 of the World Series will start at 8:07 p.m. PT on FOX, which coverage beginning at 7:30. Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci will be on the call, with Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews reporting.