SEATTLE -- After not starting for two games with lower back tightness, Vinnie Pasquantino returned to the Royals’ starting lineup for their Friday series opener against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park in his normal spot in the order, hitting third and playing first base.
Pasquantino exited Kansas City’s game against the A’s on Tuesday after his at-bat in the sixth inning, and was held out of the starting lineup in the Royals’ next two games in West Sacramento. He did come off the bench as a pinch-hitter Thursday in the ninth inning and drilled a 100.2 mph line drive, though it went straight to Zack Gelof for the final out of the game.
The 28-year-old said that the back issue is one he’d been dealing with for “a while” on Tuesday, and that he’s been using a heated massage pad in the dugout to help keep his back loose during games.
“Anybody that’s ever had that low back [pain], sometimes it flares up, and you don’t really know why,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said on Tuesday.
Coming off a 32-homer season in 2025, Pasquantino has gotten off to a slower start, slashing .165/.274/.320 with three home runs, three doubles, two triples, 14 RBIs and 24 strikeouts in 29 games. His barrel rate has fallen from 10.8% last year to 7.2%, and his hard-hit rate has dropped nearly 10 points, from 44.7% to 34.9%.