3:30pm: The Royals announced that Pasquantino has been placed on the 10-day injured list with Loftin recalled as the corresponding move.
10:30am: The Royals announced that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino has a broken right thumb. He is scheduled for further testing today but the club says he won’t be able to return for six to eight weeks. Given that timeline, he’ll miss the remainder of the regular season and would need the club to put together a deep postseason run to be a factor late in October.
During last night’s game against the Astros, Yainer Diaz hit a comebacker to right-hander Lucas Erceg, who attempted to field the ball with his bare hand. Erceg knocked the ball down, picked it up and fired to first. The ball arrived at the bag around the same time as Diaz, who made contact with Pasquantino as the first baseman attempted to field the throw (Video link from MLB.com). Both Erceg and Pasquantino were visibly injured and removed from the game after the play. Manager Matt Quatraro told reporters after the game that both players would undergo X-rays, per broadcaster Joel Goldberg on X.
The Royals haven’t yet provided an update on Erceg, but the news on Pasquantino is devastating. He’s been a key bat for the club this year, hitting 19 home runs while limiting his strikeout rate to 12.8%. His .262/.315/.446 batting line translates to a wRC+ of 106.
That’s only six percent better than league average but the Royals have had a fairly top-heavy offense this year. Bobby Witt Jr. has been elite and Salvador Perez has been great, but there’s a big drop-off without Pasquantino in the mix. The only others players on the team with an above-average wRC+ this year are Freddy Fermin, Michael Massey and Paul DeJong. Fermin’s output is fuelled by a .344 batting average on balls in play that he will struggle to maintain while DeJong has been a boom-and-bust players for years, alternating between home run surges and big strikeout woes.
The lineup looks a lot less imposing without Pasquantino in it and the Royals will now have to proceed in his absence. Despite that fairly middling offense, the club has been able to ride Witt’s amazing season and a strong rotation to a record of 75-60. They are in the middle of a three-way battle for the Central division, currently 1.5 games back of the Guardians but two ahead of the Twins. Both the Royals and Twins currently hold Wild Card spots, with Boston 3.5 games back of Minnesota for the final slot.
The club will now have to navigate the remainder of the regular season and at least the beginning of the playoffs while figuring out a solution at first base. Perez has gotten into 35 games there, including 31 starts, usually with Pasquantino slotting in as the designated hitter. Perhaps Perez will play first more often but Fermin won’t be able to catch every day, so Perez will have to be behind the plate from time to time.
Perhaps the club will turn to one of Nick Loftin or CJ Alexander, as both are multi-positional guys capable of playing first and each is having a good season in Triple-A. Loftin is slashing .331/.422/.509 for the Storm Chasers while Alexander is hitting .303/.352/.554. But neither player has hit in the majors yet, as Loftin has a line of .236/.316/.305 in 232 big league plate appearances while Alexander slashed .125/.125/.125 through his eight trips to the major league plate.
The Royals could look outside the organization for more offense, though their options will be limited now that the trade deadline has passed. Players like Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman have reportedly been put on waivers this week. Neither is a real first base solution but they could conceivably help with the DH spot. It’s likely there are other names on the wire that haven’t been reported. Any player claimed prior to September 1 is playoff-eligible with his new team.
The next few days should shed some light on how the Royals respond. For Pasquantino, it’ll be a second consecutive season marked by injury. His 2023 campaign was ended in June by shoulder surgery, limiting him to just 61 games. He got into 131 contests this year but he won’t be able to increase that number now. He is slated to qualify for arbitration after 2025 and free agency after 2028.
That’s a big loss.
It’s definitely a tough break for K.C. Here’s to hoping they either already have or can easily acquire any depth that they need.
Sign Dom Smith. He started out slow in Boston but really came on and had some huge hits for the Red Sox. He played a decent first base too.
He’s with the Reds now
Just in time for him to return to play in the World Series.
Luke Voit? He’s mashing in Mexico. Jose Abreu would make for a great story in the playoff push
No, he isn’t mashing dude went like 0 for 20 with 20ks vs Bauer
speaking of mexico why not give greg bird a shot?
Because bird sucks in the big leagues
after he hurt himself yes
before then he was the real deal
I’m sick. And now the Astros get to play an injured Royals team both now and possibly the postseason everything works out for those cheaters and the Royals are done.
Houston is playing without Kyle Tucker, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquid, etc. Lol. Still calling them cheaters, huh? They are a dynasty whether you or I like it.
Definitely think they redeemed themselves with the 2022 title but I think dynasty is a bit of a stretch for two titles in six seasons. People were/are hesitant to call the Giants a dynasty from 2010-2014 and they won 3 in 5
“two titles in 6 seasons”…I think what makes them a “dynasty” is the 7 straight ALCS appearances AND the two titles. I’m over 60 and don’t believe I’ve seen 7 straight ALCS appearances before in my lifetime.
That is a very fair point. I guess a dynasty in sports is subjective. I’m pretty black and white with sports it’s either you were the team that won the championship or you didn’t.
Like it or not, many people will never forgive. I try to move past it but the Astros feel like the robbed from the game of baseball itself. And people have no responsibility to forgive themselves and they only have themselves to blame for the vitriol.
People may not forgive/forget what they did, but at some point, people just need to accept they’re a great team, regardless of the cheating. 7 straight CS apearances, have won the division every year since 2017 (except for 2020), and consistently churn out and develop good players from their farm system despite consistently ranking at the bottom 3-5 of farm system rankings during every year in the 2020s.
“Regardless of the cheating”… “If you’re not cheating then you’re not trying” – Sportscaster Jim Rome.
Jim Rome has always been an A$$. If you’re cheating, then you’re a cheater. Also a fake and a fraud.
It happened, but it is time to get over it.
I got higher standards for dynasties. Thinking more like Mantle’s Yankees, Russell’s Celtics, Gretzky’s Oilers, Brady’s Patriots….
The economics of today’s professional sports leagues make dynasties almost impossible
The chiefs 3 Super Bowl wins in 5 years …6 straight afc championships games and 2 overtime losses away from going to 6 straight super bowls..more impressive than most listed
That’s not a reason to change the defn. Its an observation that makes becoming a dynasty more difficult.
At least you can respect Andy Reid and Patrick mahomes, with the astros no one likes them except for people in Houston
Easy to like Altuve, Alvarez, Tucker and Bregman for me. Throw in Verlander.
This sucks. There’s no help on the farm. Hope someone is put on waivers who’s decent and cheap.
How cool would it be if they brought up Jac Caglianone? That’s not going to happen, but would be interesting for sure.
Imagine what the royals would be like if caglianone is good enough to also pitch
A lefty power bat on top of a hard throwing left hander would be cool
Paul Goldschmidt would fit in nice for the Royals. Unfortunately for the Royals though, even if the Cardinals were to place him on waivers, the Mariners and Astros would have to decline to accept before the Royals would get their chance to claim.
Here me out. Obviously he’ll recover and perhaps be on the post season roster if they advance far enough, but I’m looking in to next season. I’m not a Royals expert by any means, but what if they tried to move Pasquantino to 3rd base and either promote or get a 1st base batter in the offseason. He’s a great fielder judging by the fact that he has only 2 errors in 102 games, but he doesn’t have 1st base power. Garcia is less of a defender and more a utility player, so I’d have him as a bench role.
This isn’t MLB the show you goober you can’t just edit a player and change his position so he fits on your roster better
Well no kidding. I was making a bold statement as one that doesn’t follow the Royals and judging by their lack on offense besides 3 of their players (now 2 with the injury) they could use it. Look it may turn out to be a horrible idea, but it’s my crazy morning brain came up with.
That’s fireable little league bad managing putting a lefty on 3rd.
Being that he throws left handed kills that from the start. Beyond that, if the Royals wanted a change at 3B there are plenty available in the off-season via free agency or trade.
Whatever happened to Nick Pratto?
He was great in the LLWS
Rumor has it, he still has flawless hair.
I was wondering that myself. A quick look at his numbers at AAA say he is a decent, if not underwhelming season
how is this guy not from new jersey or new york with that name?
He’s (Dan) Pasqua n’ Tino (Martinez), 100% should be on the Yankees.
Bummer for KC. He was really hitting his stride recently. It was only a matter of time til the Royals caught up, wonder if tied for first is as close as they get.
Put a call into Cardinals. Maybe they will put Goldy on revocable waivers. Maybe Royals could pick him up. Goldy probably wouldn’t mind. He’d be in playoffs
Yeah that’s what I was thinking.
Travis you are obnoxious. Muted.
In a rational world that makes some sense, but despite Goldschmidt’s downward spiral the past 2 years, Mozeliak is still talking about extending him this winter. Nostalgia gets more mileage in STL than anywhere else, so Goldy likely isn’t going anywhere.
Pham doesn’t offer nostalgia?
Not a fan of double standards.
Royals don’t have great replacement options for Vinnie. Alexander and Pratto are at AAA, though neither has played for a week (nfi). My guess is that Salvy becomes their primary first baseman, Fermin the primary C, and they bring up Loftin and Austin Nola for depth.
Pasquatch down
The KC FO did a god awful job of supplementing this offense at the deadline. Witt and Salvy are doing all the heavy lifting to make up for their incompetence.
Apparently you missed how well Dejong is playing for them after picking him up at the deadline.
Does the guy in the pasquatch suit still get paid?
Can he play 1B?
Horrendous news
Big loss
We’re done
Joey Votto “Unretire”,
Emergency “Just off the Couch” Brendon Belt to the Rescue.
Definitely Maybe?
Baserunner’s left food is in fair territory right before the collision. That should be an automatic out. They protect the catcher, they sort of protect the second baseman, but they don’t protect the first baseman? That rule has to be vigorously applied until runners stay in foul territory.
Careful what you wish for. Softball- style double-bag will be inbound.
That would not be a bad thing at all.
Ji-man choi!!!!
S***!
I’m going to miss the Sasquach sightings
Sign Eric Hosmer. As clutch performer in the postseason as the Royals ever had. Just kidding….kind of! Hoz was the Man!!!!