Vinnie Pasquantino's strong finish gives the Royals a reason to dream big

For any Major League player, a 162-game schedule certainly has its peaks and valleys. Unfortunately for some, those peaks can be few and far between and the valleys can be as wide as the Mariana Trench. Just ask Vinnie Pasquantino. Yet despite battling through a down year during most of 2026, Pasquantino ended the season on such a high note that it should give the Kansas City Royals newfound hope for next season. 

The 2026 season was quite the disappointment for the Royals. With expectations to at least compete for the AL Central title, finishing with one of the worst records in baseball speaks volumes. While you could look up and down the roster for answers, you would have been hard-pressed to name a more disappointing player to start this season than Pasquantino. 

Following an impressive power display for the Italian national team in the World Baseball Classic, it seemed like Pasquantino was primed to have another strong season for the Royals. His three home runs led Italy all the way to the semifinals where they would eventually lose to Venezuela. But that successful run for Italy simply did not translate to the regular season. 

Through the end of April, Pasquantino was sporting an anemic .165/.274/.320 slash line. Although he slowly started to pick things over the next month and a half, things went from bad to worse when Pasquantino suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand in June. That injury led to not one, but two stints on the IL for the 28-year-old. It seemed as if it would doom his entire season.

Vinnie Pasquantino’s reemergence was a welcomed sight for the Royals  

When Pasquantino returned from the 10-day IL on August 17, he was still hitting just .232 with a .664 OPS on the season. With only six home runs in just over 300 at-bats, his power had all but vanished. It was such a far cry from his showing in 2025 that there were some reasons for concern over his future with the club.  

However, following his return on August 17, Pasquantino was able to find his power stroke and resemble the player Royals fans had hoped to see all season. Over his last 35 games, Pasquantino slugged well over .600, adding 11 home runs and nine doubles. He also nearly matched his RBI total in the entire first half of the season by driving in 30 runs during that stretch. 

His hot streak was capped off by hitting two home runs in the Royals 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians to close out the season. The strong finish by Pasquantino not only salvaged his season, but it solidified his presence in the Royals’ plans moving forward. With a solid core of players led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone, the team is in prime position to contend in a wide open AL Central division moving forward.  

While Pasquantino was slumping and dealing with his ailing right hand, that position seemed to be in doubt. As a first baseman with questionable defensive skills, Pasquantino’s value lies squarely in his ability to produce at the plate. If he was unable to rediscover his swing, he was in danger of being a liability for the Royals. But now that he appears to be back on track and ready to continue his success in 2027, the organization has one less concern to address. 

With Pasquantino’s dangerous bat back in the fold, the Royals will only improve offensively moving forward. Young players like Carter Jensen and Blake Mitchell will likely be a big part of that and at a discounted price. With the several disposable players set to leave the club, Royals GM J.J. Picollo now has the freedom to dream a little bigger when it comes to bolstering a pitching staff that was depleted by injuries.  

For Royals fans, there should be a healthy dose of optimism about the future. The team has no reason but to set their sights on bouncing back from a tough 2026 season and returning to playoff contention in 2027. 

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