Vinnie Pasquantino enters series against Tigers chasing pair of Royals legends

A three-game set with the Detroit Tigers awaits the Kansas City Royals, and both clubs enter Friday night’s opener with plenty at stake. Each team is riding an 8-2 stretch over its last ten games, but their goals differ: Detroit is chasing the AL’s top postseason seed while trying to lock down its first AL Central crown since 2014, while Kansas City is fighting to gain ground in a crowded AL Wild Card race. With just five weeks left in the regular season, time is running short. For Vinnie Pasquantino, though, Friday night carries even more weight—it could be his chance to tie a franchise record.

The lefty-swinging first baseman has been scorching hot during the latest homestand, slashing .306/.350/.889 with a staggering 16 RBI across 10 games. Most of that production has come via the long ball, as Pasquantino has launched six homers in that span. His latest came in Thursday’s series-clinching win over the Texas Rangers, when he belted a go-ahead shot off Jacob Webb. That marked his career-best fourth straight game with a home run, making him the 10th different player to achieve such a streak this season—and a rarity in Royals franchise history.

Vinnie Pasquantino's date with Royals history is one swing away.

In fact, the franchise record for consecutive games with a home run stands at five, with two Royals legends holding the distinction. First baseman Mike Sweeney did so in the 2022 season from June 25-29, while another team captain, Salvador Perez, did so from Aug. 25-29, 2021. That stretch was just one entry in Perez's historic 2021 season—a season that now risks being overshadowed by the remarkable power surge Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is putting together in 2025.

Pasquantino’s power surge has him tracking toward the coveted 30-homer, 100-RBI milestone—a feat reached only 10 times in Royals history. Bobby Witt Jr. cleared those marks during his MVP-worthy 2024 season, while Salvador Perez last did it in his record-setting 2021 campaign.

If Pasquantino can stay hot at Kauffman Stadium, Detroit’s Comerica Park could give him an even better chance to keep the streak alive. According to Baseball Savant’s park factors, Comerica Park is still below average for home runs, but far more forgiving than Kauffman Stadium. Comerica Park’s 98 park factor ranks 16th in MLB, while Kauffman Stadium’s 85 is tied for 25th with the Cleveland Guardians home field—much closer to the bottom of the league.

Another factor working in Pasquantino’s favor is his matchup with Tigers starter Casey Mize. The right-hander has surrendered 16 home runs this season, with most of them coming at Comerica Park. Combine that with Pasquantino’s strong production against right-handed pitching in 2025, and there’s a real chance he leaves Friday’s game with another homer on the stat sheet—and a share of the Royals’ franchise record.