Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino went viral while live-tweeting the Home Run Derby
There was quite a bit of grumbling from baseball fans Monday night about the All-Star Game Home Run Derby format and ESPN’s coverage, particularly the split screen.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh won the event but nearly didn’t get out of the first round. He and the A’s Brent Rooker each hit 17 homers, but the tiebreaker was who hit the farthest ball. They each had a 471-foot homer.
Despite the inexact distance measurements, Raleigh was determined to have hit his less than an inch farther and advanced.
As he live-tweeted the event Monday night, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino spoke for all of America.
“Ok hey I love the league I play in and my employer and all that,” Pasquantino wrote on X. “But imo we should have a swing off here. Feels more fun.”
That was just one of the great bits of live commentary Pasquantino provided. Here are some other gems from the Pasquatch.
Jazz’s approach
Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm got under the skin of Royals fans during last year’s ALDS, and his dust-up with Maikel Garcia earlier this season only exacerbated the situation.
So when Chisholm hit just three home runs on Monday, Royals fans weren’t exactly sad.
Pasquantino didn’t revel in Chisholm’s troubles, but he did have a funny comment about how the Yankees work long plate appearances.
“Jazz adopting the Yankee mindset of not chasing early in the Derby,” Pasquantino wrote. “This is a compliment to them btw.”
The Big Dumper
Raleigh’s nickname is the Big Dumper and Pasquantino had an X post go viral when he playfully wrote: “Oh Im Cal Raleigh. I hit a lot of home runs. I hit from both sides of the plate. I play the most valuable position. I have one of the coolest nicknames in sports. Screw you man.”
That message had 2.6 million interactions as it went viral.
Some fans apparently took it seriously, and Pasquantino wrote: “This is a joke and I was attempting to make this that meme tweet. Don’t be so serious. I have like 2 more days back on twitter.”
What’s happening?
Like many viewers at home, Pasquantino at first wasn’t quite sure of how the Derby champ would be determined.
“Wait what’s the format? Is it bracket style?” Pasquantino asked.
He added: “This format makes it so hard to commentate. I have no clue what’s going on.”
Hi Bob!
Pirates star Oneil Cruz didn’t win the competition but he did hit a monster 513-foot homer. It happened while Pasquantino was talking to teammate Bobby Witt Jr., who is an All-Star again this year.
“Just was FaceTiming Bob when Cruz went 513,” Pasquantino wrote. “Can’t tell on tv but the place just went bonkers. 513. Oh my God.”
Adam Frazier format
Pasquantino also poked fun at former teammate Adam Frazier.
X user Mike Ferrin suggested a “Good Piece of Hitting” Derby, which is just guys punching the ball the other way through the infield.
Pasquantino responded: “The Adam Frazier Derby.” That had 365,000 interactions.
Vamo!
At one point, Pirates star Paul Skenes was seen with Dominican stars Elly De La Cruz, Ketel Marte and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Pasquantino joked: “You think Skenes knows what Elly, Ketel, and Tatis are saying?”
Pasquantino then shared this about his Royals teammates:
“Sometimes I go out for mound visits with Sal or Freddy with Estevez, Zerpa, and Cruz where they only speak Spanish and have absolutely no clue what’s being said. But I give a good ‘vamo’ at the end and feel like I contributed”
That went viral, too, with 2.5 million interactions.
This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 9:35 AM.
