Ned Yost: ‘Pressure’s kind of like … your imaginary friend’ | The Kansas City Star

No, Ned Yost does not feel the pressure of winning Game 1 of the American League Division Series at home.

And no, he does not have an imaginary friend.

What?

Let us explain. Yost was asked during a Wednesday news conference whether there was more pressure on the home team in a short series like the five-game ALDS. The Royals and Astros play Game 1 at 6:37 Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Yost’s response?

“Pressure’s what you make out of it, all right? It’s kind of like — pressure’s kind of like your little friend you had, your imaginary friend you had when you were four years old, right?” he said. “If you think it’s there, it’s there. If you don’t, you don’t. That kind of the way we go about it.”

Yost was asked in a follow-up question whether he had an imaginary friend.

“I don’t,” he replied.