The Kansas City Royals have started to find their footing after a slow opening stretch, entering Wednesday with four straight wins and improving their record to 12-17. But Tuesday night brought an unfortunate injury development involving one of their most important players.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino suffered a lower back injury during the Royals matchup against the Athletics, cutting short what had been a productive night at the plate.
Pasquantino logged three plate appearances, drawing a walk and recording a hit before being removed and replaced by Michael Massey, who shifted to second base while Nick Loftin moved over to first. “Vinnie Pasquantino exited tonight's game with low back tightness,” the Royals wrote on X.
Vinnie Pasquantino exited tonight's game with low back tightness.
After the game, Pasquantino spoke with reporters and offered more clarity on what he was feeling. “I was just having a hard time getting it loose today,” Pasquantino said (h/t Anne Rogers of MLB.com). “My work was real light because of that. Just trying to get ready for the game. Felt like I had two productive at-bats to start, and then the last one just felt like I could not make the moves that I wanted to make. I had a hard time getting out of my swing and then running to first.”
On Wednesday, Pasquantino was not in the lineup, suggesting the Royals are treating the issue as a day-to-day situation. At this point, it does not appear he is headed for the injured list, but the club will continue to monitor how his back responds.
The timing is disappointing for Kansas City, which has finally begun to build momentum. Losing their starting first baseman, even briefly, is far from ideal.
Pasquantino has struggled at the plate this season, hitting .167 with a .276 on-base percentage, .600 OPS and three home runs across 28 games. But he is capable of far more, and his track record across his five-year career shows he can be a steady presence in the middle of the lineup when healthy.
Pasquantino is also one of the Royals key clubhouse leaders. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, the 28-year-old has become a central figure in the organization’s long-term plans as they attempt to make a return to the MLB playoffs in 2026.
The Royals will hope this setback remains minor, because getting Pasquantino back to full strength is essential for a team trying to climb back into contention.