6 days agoKansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring) is feeling good and will go through a full workout on Wednesday. The Royals will then re-evaluate him on Thursday morning to determine if he'll be in the starting lineup on Opening Day on Thursday versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians and right-hander
Tanner Bibee. Pasquantino suffered a Grade 1-plus hamstring strain in spring training last weekend and is up in the air to be ready for Opening Day. In a worst-case scenario, the 27-year-old left-handed slugger will begin on the injured list and miss the first six games of the season. In that case, some combination of
Salvador Perez,
Mark Canha and
Cavan Biggio would fill in at first base. If Pasquantino is in Thursday's lineup, he should be started in fantasy, as he's hit two homers off Bibee in just eight career at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Kansas City Star - Sam McDowell
1 week agoAlthough Kansas City Royals first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino's (hamstring) status for Opening Day on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians is in question after he picked up a Grade 1-plus right-hamstring strain in spring training on Saturday, he said he plans on playing on Thursday. The 27-year-old isn't a speed player, so a slight hamstring pull doesn't affect him as much, and he could be deployed as the designated hitter to begin the year. The Royals are off on Friday, although the team could back-date a 10-day injured list stint three days, meaning he could return as soon as April 2. Pasquantino won't play in the two exhibition games against the Rangers on Monday and Tuesday, but he hit in the cages on Monday "without feeling the hamstring at all," manager Matt Quatraro said. If he can up the intensity of his swings on Tuesday without feeling pain, he could be cleared to start on Thursday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
1 week agoMLB.com's Anne Rogers reports that Kansas City Royals first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus hamstring strain and is doing everything he can to be ready to go for Opening Day on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians. Pasquantino won't play in either exhibition game against the Texas Rangers on Monday or Tuesday this week, but he plans on hitting in the cages on Monday and then on the field on Tuesday. The biggest box the 27-year-old needs to check is being pain-free when he swings. "I plan on playing Thursday. But that's just me speaking as a player," Pasquantino said. He's pushing to play on Thursday, but how the next couple of days go will determine whether he'll be in the starting lineup on Thursday. The good news is that if Pasquantino doesn't play on Thursday, he could make his 2025 debut as early as this weekend.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
1 week agoKansas City Royals first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring) is out of the starting lineup for Monday's Cactus League game against the Texas Rangers after straining his right hamstring on Saturday.
Mark Canha is getting the start at first base and is hitting fifth against Texas. Pasquantino isn't very concerned about his injury, but if he's unable to play in the team's final exhibition game against the Rangers on Tuesday, there's a chance the Royals may not clear him to play on Opening Day on Thursday. It doesn't sound like the 27-year-old left-handed slugger will start the year on the injured list, but if he does, Canha and catcher
Salvador Perez would likely share playing time at first base for KC. Italian Breakfast has struggled at the plate this spring, going 10-for-48 (.208) with two homers and nine RBI in 17 games. He played in only 131 games in 2024 due to a broken thumb but still managed 19 homers and 97 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Kansas City Star - Jaylon T. Thompson
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