The Texas Rangers paid tribute to the late Yordano Ventura ahead of their Cactus League opener Saturday against the bereaved Kansas City Royals, placing flowers on the pitcher's mound and observing a moment of silence for the electric right-hander who died in a January car crash in the Dominican Republic.

Before the game, Gomez & Beltre placed flowers on the mound in honor of Yordano Ventura & we observed a moment of silence. #Ace30 pic.twitter.com/OcZyOH1XDa — Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 25, 2017

Earlier this week, Royals manager Ned Yost suggested his club was making some progress in processing the death of Ventura, who signed with Kansas City for $28,000 in 2008 and helped the club to a World Series title two years ago.

"It's just tough. It's a tough deal," Yost told the Associated Press. "We're getting through it, as a group. It's getting a little easier every day."