The Royals lineup may soon be whole again, as Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino continued their respective rehab assignments on Friday night.
Here’s an update on each player.
Maikel Garcia
Garcia recorded three hits while batting leadoff for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He also played all nine innings at third base in the 9-8 loss.
Kansas City’s starting third baseman -- an All-Star in 2025 -- began his rehab assignment on Thursday, when he drew three walks and played all nine innings in the field.
Garcia has been sidelined since June 23 with muscle strain in his left hand, a nagging injury that has bothered him for much of the season.
That makes it all the more encouraging that Garcia played full games on consecutive days. When he started his first rehab assignment on July 28, he felt similar discomfort in his hand that resulted in a cortisone shot and a two-week setback.
Garcia, 26, is hitting .261 with a .693 OPS (98 OPS+) through 69 games this season.
Vinnie Pasquantino
Meanwhile, Pasquantino was in the lineup for a third straight day for Triple-A Omaha. He went 1-for-4 with a single out of the cleanup spot and played a full game at first base in a 6-2 loss.
Pasquantino landed on the 10-day IL with right wrist soreness on July 29, which means he may not require a long rehab assignment. Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that the original plan was for Pasquantino to play in five games this week, though that is contingent on how Pasquantino feels.
An injury-riddled season saw Pasquantino land on the IL in June with a right hamate fracture. Upon returning in July, he dealt with soreness and fatigue while building his workload back up, eventually leading to his latest stint on the sidelines.
Pasquantino, 28, is hitting .232 with a .663 OPS (91 OPS+) and six home runs through 79 games this year.