KC Royals cleared Vinnie Pasquantino for opening day start. Here’s how he looked
Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was cleared to play in Thursday afternoon’s opening day game against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium.
And his presence was certainly felt, as he hit a three-run home run and later doubled in the ninth of KC’s 7-4 extra-innings loss.
Pasquantino, who sustained a Grade 1 right-hamstring strain last Friday, was able to participate in on-field workouts throughout the week. He fielded ground balls and took batting practice Wednesday.
The Royals felt comfortable with what they saw, so Pasquantino bat third in the lineup as KC’s designated hitter.
“I think right after it happened last week, I just didn’t have any experience with anything like this,” Pasquantino said leading up to the game. “I was relying on the medical team. ... There is a lot of trust there. They know how I feel and I know how they feel. So it worked out and we were able to get it ready to go for today.”
Pasquantino has a goal this season: Be available and healthy for all 162 games. He has dealt with multiple injuries in his career, including last season, when he was sidelined by a right-thumb injury that required surgery.
The Royals operate differently with Pasquantino in the lineup. He is an elite run producer whose bat also protects superstar Bobby Witt Jr. in the order.
Last season, Pasquantino hit .262 with 19 home runs and 97 RBIs in 131 games.
“He had no other issues after the first day,” manager Matt Quatraro said pregame. “We know he is not a speed guy and he is fine to hit.
“He wanted to play first, but we just felt like the best thing to do was get his bat in the lineup. Hopefully we have an opportunity to get him out of there, if we need to. If not, we will just ride it out. He can manage it and it’s the best way to think about it.”
The Royals faced Guardians starter Ben Lively on Thursday. The Guardians’ originally planned starter, Tanner Bibee, was scratched earlier Thursday because of illness.
Pasquantino finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. He was pulled for a pinch runner after his leadoff double in the ninth.
New addition Cavan Biggio started at first base. He signed a minor-league contract with the club and earned one of KC’s final roster spots after a producing well during Cactus League play at spring training.
The Royals will not play Friday. That gives Pasquantino some additional time to recover and potentially return to first base when the schedule resumes Saturday.
“I lobbied for it,” Pasquantino said of playing first base. “I think everybody knows how everybody feels about DHing. But it was a smart move. ... We are kind of treating it with the most time I can give (the injury to heal before resuming first-base duties).”
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM.
