KANSAS CITY – The Royals’ lineup for their series- and homestand-opening game on Monday night looked a lot like what they had been expecting the lineup to look like all season.
They got the results they were looking for, too, in their 9-5 win over the A’s at Kauffman Stadium.
Third baseman Maikel Garcia (left-hand muscle strain) and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (right wrist soreness) were reinstated from the injured list and in the lineup, hitting fourth and fifth, respectively. Both logged hits in their return, with Garcia lining an opposite-field RBI single during the Royals’ three-run first inning, and Pasquantino hitting a double to the left-center wall in the seventh inning.
In corresponding moves, the Royals optioned infielder Josh Rojas to Triple-A Omaha and designated Starling Marte for assignment. Additionally, the Royals recalled lefty reliever Connor Thomas – whom they claimed off waivers from the A’s back on Aug. 4 – and optioned reliever Jose Cuas to Triple-A Omaha.
It’s been over two months since the Royals had Garcia and Pasquantino in the lineup together with their other everyday contributors like Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Carter Jensen and Salvador Perez, all of whom contributed in Monday’s win.
Witt went 3-for-4 with his second homer in as many games and scored four runs, Caglianone knocked three hits and two RBIs, Perez added two RBIs, and Jensen doubled off the left-center wall to start the homestand off strong after a 1-for-19 road trip last week. The Royals went 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and four of their nine runs came with two outs.
“The guys who were here when Vinnie and Maikel got hurt were doing a pretty good job,” Perez said. “They prepare themselves every day to do their best for us. But yeah, Vinnie and Maikel are part of the team. Everyday players. It’s a little bit different. … I think we’re all happy to have Vinnie and Maikel back.”
Pasquantino was the first to hit the IL after a right hamate fracture on June 14. He missed 23 games on that stint before the All-Star break, and during that time, Garcia was sidelined on June 23 with a left hand muscle strain that required extended rest. Pasquantino returned before the break but then went on the IL again on July 29 with soreness related to coming back from his original hand injury. He missed 17 games this time on the IL, while Garcia missed 46 games total during his IL stint.
“It’s like Opening Day,” Garcia said. “We're just missing [second baseman Jonathan] India. But I feel like everybody’s on the field. We’re missing the pitchers. But it feels like we have the whole lineup back. We need to play good and win some games.”
Both hitters played on rehab assignments last week, but Pasquantino only logged 16 at-bats in Triple-A, while Garcia recorded 10 at-bats in Double-A. They were using the rehab games more to make sure they felt healthy before, during and after each game. As soon as they were ready, they wanted to get back to the big leagues and get the at-bats here as the season enters its final stretch, even if their workloads will be monitored.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, right?” manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s nice to put them in there today. We want to keep them in there. We want to keep everybody healthy. But there’s no question we’re trying to play well down the stretch here. We’re trying to continue to build on the progress that some of the guys have made individually, and doing that as a team – to have those back – we think that gives us a good chance.”
The Royals’ lineup had its struggles with everyone on the field early in the year. Injuries didn’t cost them the season, but they did hinder the club’s chances of getting back in the playoff hunt throughout the summer. The early-season offensive issues mean there is still plenty of work to be done with this lineup even with the everyday contributors back.
But getting everyone back on the field allows that work to get started, and the Royals can use these final six weeks of the season to do that – especially because Kansas City’s lineup on Monday will likely be one we see in 2027. Monday’s starter Michael Wacha, who allowed four runs in five innings, will anchor the rotation again next year.
The Royals will target additions this offseason, but the core of this team will all be back and relied upon next year.
“I’m excited about that, what the lineup looks like tonight, and I’m ready to move forward,” Pasquantino said pregame. “And we got some guys that have really carved out some roles for themselves, which is cool. I look forward to these next six weeks being competitive baseball. That’s what we kind of have our mindset on.
“... I think just showing we can win. That’s what this is all about. Showing that this lineup can be competitive. The fight toward the end of the year is, ‘Don’t make the front office have to do too much. We believe we’ve got the guys here.’ Now, that’s their job. Our job is to go perform on the field, but that’s about it. Just try to play good baseball again.”