KC Royals Vinnie Pasquantino injured on controversial collision with Byron Buxton

The KC Royals are in a small slump, struggling against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. The Kansas City Royals found themselves in a difficult position, trailing 2-0 after the first inning of the second game of the series on Tuesday. That score held for multiple innings. That hole became even deeper after first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino exited the game, thanks to Minnesota outfielder Byron Buxton.

The oft-injured Twins star tried to outrun Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia's throw to first but drifted into the infield grass while running. The play at first base saw Buxton's knee collide with Pasquantino's lower leg while the Royals player stretched for the catch. Pasquantino couldn't stay on the base but immediately showed signs of pain before Buxton turned around.

The KC Royals adjusted quickly to Vinnie Pasquantino's exit.

Pasquantino exited the game following a brief on-field conference. Luckily, catcher Salvador Perez moved to his secondary position. Meanwhile, Freddy Fermin was on the bench and quickly adorned his catching gear to replace Perez.

Kansas City announced later in the game that Pasquantino was day-to-day with a lower left leg contusion. The negative x-ray results brought a sigh of relief, confirming that the collision did not result in more serious damage to Pasquantino's leg.

The team is hopeful that Pasquantino will recover quickly and be back in the lineup soon. In the meantime, Fermin will have the opportunity to showcase his skills behind the plate while Perez has more work at first base.

Entering Tuesday's contest, Pasquantino was slashing .225/.308/.390 across 52 games. All those marks, including his .699 OPS, are all career-lows for the 26-year-old Virginia native.

Pasquantino's dedication to focusing on his recovery and rehabilitation will be crucial for his return to peak performance. The team will need to adjust their lineup strategy in his absence, but they are confident in the depth of their roster. Manager Matt Quatraro had slid Pasquantino to fourth in the lineup Tuesday, away from his traditional spot of batting third. The experiment could have broken Pasquantino out of his slump, but Royals fans will not know thanks to Buxton's ineptitude.

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