Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring) is in the Opening Day lineup. Pasquantino will serve as the designated hitter and bat in the three-hole behind Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. Pasquantino suffered a Grade 1-plus hamstring strain earlier in the week but has been cleared to serve as a DH. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the Royals may opt to ease him into defensive work. During spring training, Pasquantino posted a .208/.216/.417 slash line with four doubles and two home runs across 17 games. Last season, the 27-year-old logged a career-high 131 contests and held a .262/.315/.446 slash line with 19 long balls. He showed an elite eye at the plate with a 12.8 percent strikeout rate and generated a solid .331 xwOBA. He carries high RBI upside batting behind Witt and is a solid play in DFS facing Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee.

Kansas 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.

Although 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.

MLB.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.

Kansas 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.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hamstring) was removed early during Saturday's spring training contest. Pasquantino appears to have suffered a hamstring injury while trying to beat out a double play. He was immediately favoring his right leg and walked back to the clubhouse under his own power. The Royals are going to need to further evaluate Pasquantino before giving a better timetable on his return. However, there's a decent chance that Pasquantino isn't ready for Opening Day given it's only a few days away. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update.

Not only was Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) included on the team's playoff roster for the wild-card series this week, but he's serving as the designated hitter and batting third in Game 1 on Tuesday versus the Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Corbin Burnes at Camden Yards. Pasquantino was activated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after recovering from a fractured right thumb that required surgery in early September. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger healed rapidly to give him a shot to contribute for the up-and-coming Royals in October. However, given the layoff and the nature of his injury, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Pasquantino struggle at the plate upon his return. Yuli Gurriel is starting at first base and is batting fifth against Burnes. Pasquantino hit .262 on the year with 19 homers and 97 RBI in his 496 at-bats for KC.

The Kansas City Royals are hoping that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) will be on their playoff roster for the wild-card series against the Baltimore Orioles that begins on Tuesday at Camden Yards. Manager Matt Quatraro said that Pasquantino was going to test his fractured right thumb by hitting in the cages on Monday to see if he'll be included on the wild-card roster on Tuesday. If the 26-year-old left-handed slugger is included on the roster this week, he will only be used as a designated hitter and won't play on defense. Pasquantino needed surgery on his thumb earlier this month but has apparently made very good progress to give himself a shot to be available for the postseason. He'd provide the Royals with a power boost in the lineup, but it also remains to been how effective he'll be swinging the bat if he's available. The Royals used catcher Salvador Perez often at first base with Pasquantino injured, leaving Freddy Fermin to do the catching.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) took batting practice at Nationals Park on Thursday before the team's series finale against the Washington Nationals. It's another step in Pasquantino's recovery after suffering a right-thumb injury that will keep him out through the end of the regular season this Sunday. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger needed surgery to fix a fractured right thumb, but it's good to see that he's already swinging a bat over three weeks removed from going under the knife. The Royals must first clinch a wild-card spot in the American League before the Royals will begin discussing whether Pasquantino has a shot to join them if they make a deep playoff run in October. Catcher Salvador Perez has seen more time at first base for KC since Pasquantino's injury, with Freddy Fermin filling in behind the dish.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb), who is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the regular season due to a broken right thumb, said he's going to do everything in his power to push to get himself back or a potential postseason run in October. The Royals gave Pasquantino a six- to eight-week timeline for his return, meaning they'd have to make a deep playoff run to give him time to return. He was supposed to have surgery on his thumb over the weekend, but there was too much swelling. Pasquantino had a meeting scheduled with a surgeon on Monday and was hoping to have surgery on Tuesday. The 26-year-old lefty slugger figures to be aggressive with his rehab in hopes of returning in October, but fantasy managers can already count him out for the year. With Pasquantino sidelined, the Royals will rely on some combination of Yuli Gurriel (hamstring), Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman to help pick up the slack offensively.UPDATE: Pasquantino had successful surgery on his thumb on Tuesday, according to acting manager Paul Hoover.

The Kansas City Royals officially placed first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a right-thumb fracture and recalled infielder Nick Loftin from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Pasquantino suffered the serious injury during a collision at first base late in Thursday's loss to the Houston Texans, and with an expected recovery timetable of six to eight weeks, the 26-year-old is most likely to miss the rest of the 2024 season unless the Royals make the postseason and go on a deep playoff run. Catcher Salvador Perez should see plenty of time at first base now in KC, which will push Freddy Fermin to more starts behind the plate. The Royals can also use Loftin at the position down the stretch. Pasquantino had a successful 2024 campaign, hitting a career-high 19 home runs while driving in 97 runs in 496 at-bats.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) was diagnosed with a broken right thumb after getting injured in a collision at first base late in Thursday night's loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, and further tests are scheduled on Friday. Pasquantino could return in six to eight weeks. With that timetable, Pasquantino's 2024 season is likely over unless the Royals make it to the playoffs and make a deep postseason run. In the 26-year-old left-handed slugger's absence, the Royals will most likely move catcher Salvador Perez over to first more often, with Freddy Fermin doing the catching. Their other options include calling up Nick Pratto or Nick Loftin to handle some first-base action as KC battles for the American League Central down the stretch. It's a big blow for the Royals, as Pasquantino had contributed a career-high 19 homers and 97 RBI in his 496 at-bats this year.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hand) suffered a hand injury during a collision at first base late in Thursday's loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park and is going for X-rays. "I can't say for sure because he is still over there getting X-rays. All I know is he said it was hurting him, so we took him out," manager Matt Quatraro said. Reliever Lucas Erceg (hand) was also injured on the same play and was removed. Pasquantino went 0-for-4 in the game and was replaced at first by catcher Salvador Perez. Fantasy managers will want to check back for updates on the 26-year-old on Friday and may want to brace for a potential injured-list stint. At this time of the year, a serious enough injury could cost Pasquantino the rest of the season. The Pasquatch has already contributed career-highs in homers (19), RBI (97) and runs scored (64) in 130 games in 2024 in his third year in the big leagues.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino homered with three RBI in Friday evening's series-opening win over the hosting Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Pasquantino crushed a three-run blast off Reds right-hander Fernando Cruz to right field to extend the Royals' lead to 7-1 in the ninth inning on Friday. The streaky 26-year-old slugger is slashing a respectable .260/.314/.450 with 18 long balls, 26 doubles, and 88 RBI through 442 at-bats (118 games) as KC's everyday No. 3 batter in 2024.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino homered in a 6-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night. He is now hitting .266 with 15 home runs, 79 RBI, a stolen base and 50 runs scored. This continues a hot streak for the slugger; he's hitting .355 with four home runs, 12 RBI, a stolen base, and five runs scored in his last seven games. Pasquantino will look to continue his hot hitting tomorrow in the series finale against lefty Bryan Sammons.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino started August with a bang on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with two homers and four RBI in a 7-1 win against the Detroit Tigers. Pasquantino put the Royals up early with a three-run shot in the first and then went back-to-back with Bobby Witt Jr. to put an exclamation mark on the win. He now has three homers and seven RBI in his last two games and should continue to pile up RBIs if he can hit well behind the scorching-hot Witt. Although he hasn't lived up to the lofty expectations of some, he has been a solid fantasy option at first base this season.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's 10-3 win over the Guardians. The 26-year-old also walked once and scored twice in the contest. He's now hit safely in four of his last five games, going 6-for-19 (.316) during that stretch, and has recorded an RBI in five straight. The former 11th-round draft pick isn't hitting for average (.237), but is on pace to easily set a career-high in home runs this season and has driven in 53 runs so far. With a low K% (13.1%) and high Contact% (87.3%), there's reason to believe the second half will be better for his batting average than the first half.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. He blasted a two-run shot off Randy Vasquez in the bottom of the first inning to give the Royals a 2-1 lead. The home run traveled 383 feet with an exit velocity of 109 mph. The 26-year-old is starting to heat up at the plate and has homered in two of his last three games. Overall, Pasquantino is slashing .263/.317/.434 with seven home runs, 15 doubles, a triple, 39 RBI, and 27 runs over 56 games in 2024. Fantasy managers should continue to start Pasquantino while he's wielding a hot bat.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run during Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins. It was Pasquantino's first home run since May 9 and only his second of the month. It has been tough sledding as of late for the 26-year-old as he is batting a paltry .176 over his last 15 games. He also missed Wednesday's game as he was dealing with a shin injury. Pasquantino is slashing .229/.309/.404 with six homers, 35 RBI and 26 runs scored in 2024. The RBI production is helping him stay afloat, but he is in need of a hot streak to regain the trust of fantasy managers.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shin) is back in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Chris Paddack, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. Pasquantino left Tuesday's game early after colliding with Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, and he wasn't included in the starting lineup on Wednesday. But the 26-year-old left-handed slugger will be back in action on Thursday after just one day off. Salvador Perez will get a day off from catching and will play first base, with Freddy Fermin catching and batting eighth for KC. Pasquantino has never faced Paddack in his career and has been ice-cold at the plate lately. He hasn't homered since May 9 and has gone 6-for-43 (.140) with eight RBI and 13 strikeouts in 13 games since May 14.