The Kansas City Royals are activating first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino for the Wild Card Series against the Baltimore Orioles. Pasquantino broke his right thumb on August 29 and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, but he beat his recovery timeline by two weeks. At the time of his absence, the Royals were 75-60 and averaging 4.9 runs per game. However, Kansas City went 11-16 while averaging 2.9 runs per game to finish off the season. The Royals tried to replace his production by acquiring first baseman Yuli Gurriel and outfielders Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman, but the offense struggled throughout September.
In the days before the postseason opener, Royals officials acknowledged that Pasquantino could risk re-aggravating the injury.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino will return to the Kansas City Royals’ lineup and should bat third in their wild card matchup vs. Baltimore after being out since Aug. 29 with a broken thumb, sources tell ESPN. He was expected to be out 6-8 weeks.
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Vinnie Pasquantino Makes Royals Roster for Wild Card Series
Pasquantino hit .262/.315/.446 this season and ranked third on the team with 19 home runs and 97 RBI. Over the last week, Pasquantino ramped up his workload, hitting on the field for the first time last week in Washington. Pasquantino then went to face live pitching for the first time on Saturday in Atlanta. Hitters who return from hand injuries often struggle. His return will give the Royals an emotional boost and allow Pasquantino to be the third significant presence in the lineup, along with Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez.
In April, the Royals faced off against the Orioles in a two-game series. Cole Ragans, who started Game 1, delivered an impressive performance, limiting the Orioles to just one hit over 6 1/3 innings. However, Seth Lugo, the starter for Game 2, struggled, allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Last year, the Royals endured a challenging season, losing 106 games. This year, they have shown remarkable improvement, emerging as one of the most compelling comeback stories in baseball. Despite the absence of Pasquantino, a key player, the Royals still have the potential to make a significant impact.
Main Photo: © Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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