Is Pasquantino turning the corner amid early season slump?

KANSAS CITY -- Tuesday night had turned into Wednesday morning by the time Vinnie Pasquantino shut off the video and caught a few hours of sleep. Then, it was right back to work for Wednesday afternoon’s game.

Such is the life for a hitter working his way out of a slump. In that regard, Pasquantino probably got a little more rest Wednesday after going 2-for-3 with a home run against the Orioles, although he would have liked to leave with a team win rather than another loss that has the Royals at 8-17 this season.

After a bad 10 days in which the Royals went 1-9 and saw so many things go wrong, at this point, they need to try to build on positives they’ve shown. And while Wednesday’s game was frustrating again for many reasons, the offense did score six runs on the heels of a comeback victory Tuesday. Seeing a good day at the plate from Pasquantino was another positive, and something the Royals hope can get him on a roll now. It’s no secret that this lineup needs him producing at his best.

“It was just kind of getting the confidence back of making the right moves at the plate,” Pasquantino said. “I don’t think any clicked today, but I had a good day of work where I felt pretty confident going into the game.”

A year after hitting 32 home runs and racking up 113 RBIs, Pasquantino has a .160/.248/.298 slash line through his first 25 games this season. That’s still a small sample, but one that’s magnified at the beginning of the year -- and when Pasquantino is hitting No. 3 in the order every day, he's expected to be a major contributor to this team.

Just like one bad month doesn’t define a player’s entire season, one good day doesn’t mean everything is suddenly right. The work doesn’t ever stop. However, Pasquantino hitting a homer and a double, along with drawing a walk, on Wednesday could be something to build off for him.

“It’s coming,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s not a surprise to me that he’s starting to swing the bat. We know he’s a good hitter. He knows he’s a good hitter. It’s just a matter of time.”

Early or not, it’s been a tough stretch for Pasquantino and, unfortunately, not one he’s unaccustomed to in his career. Last March/April, Pasquantino slashed .177/.242/.327 with a 49 wRC+. The experience of turning it around can help him now.

He has also left no stone unturned in his work. Recently, he’s been watching videos of himself hitting with Double-A Northwest Arkansas back in 2021. Pasquantino tweaks his swing and stance quite a bit, so he has a lot of evidence that he can go back to and remember what he was feeling on a particular day.

He found something Wednesday, shortening his toe tap to help himself not move too far backward as he’s gearing up to swing. The physical difference is subtle, but he felt better in his pregame work, lending some confidence once he took the field.

The results followed. Pasquantino homered in the first inning and doubled in the fourth. The double was probably his favorite swing of the day because he was able “to get super into my legs,” he said.

His favorite pitch of the day, though? That came right before the home run on a ball below the zone. The sinker was originally called a strike, but Pasquantino issued just his second ABS challenge of the year. It was overturned in his favor.

“It builds the confidence of, ‘OK, I know the zone,’” Pasquantino said. “I need to remember that -- that I do know the zone. It was nice to feel that today.”

Pasquantino knows things are going well for him when he’s not striking out. That’s why his 21.1% strikeout rate this year is alarming, well above the 15.7% mark he posted last year. His walk rate is up to 10.1% after back-to-back years of 7.2%. He’s working to get back to the reputation he had as a Minor Leaguer, when he was known as a hitter with a keen understanding of the zone.

The Royals haven’t wavered in their belief in Pasquantino, and he shouldn’t either. He’s been steadfast in his processes this year while also finding small tweaks to help him get back to the hitter he’s shown he is before. He knows it’s about showing it on the field, too.

“As ridiculous as it sounds, it feels like one of my better beginnings of the season that I’ve had in terms of process,” Pasquantino said. “I know that’s not a great thing to say. … But I’m just trying to find that spot where I’m in rhythm, I’m in timing, I can just shut off -- that’s where I feel like I’m at my best.”