The Royals are in a freefall.
The Kansas City Royals had a chance to build something after snapping an eight-game losing streak on Tuesday night with a wild walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Instead, they gave it right back, falling 8-6 in Wednesday's series finale to drop to 8-17 on the season.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino didn't try to sugarcoat the frustration after the loss.
"It's really disappointing," Pasquantino said. "You feel like you want to build a little bit of momentum. But also, we've had conversations here where momentum, whether it's real or not, you've got to either try to fight off the bad momentum or build on the good momentum. So every day is a new challenge, and we've got to treat it as such. Can't take any of these for granted, and just got to be ready on Friday night."
Pasquantino's Struggles Have Been a Major Factor
It is tough to talk about what has gone wrong without starting with Pasquantino himself.
After a breakout 2025 where he slashed .264/.323/.475 with 32 home runs and 113 RBI, the 28-year-old has been one of the biggest disappointments in the early going.
His batting average has hovered well below .200 for most of the season, and his power numbers have nearly vanished compared to what he did a year ago.
Wednesday actually offered a small sign of life, though.
Pasquantino hit a solo home run in the first inning that snapped an 0-for-16 drought, and he added a double later in the game.
Those are the swings Kansas City needs to see more of if they want to climb out of last place in the AL Central.
Are There Silver Linings?
Despite the ugly record, not everything has been bad.
The starting rotation has been legitimately great, carrying one of the best ERAs in the American League through the first few weeks.
Michael Wacha entered Wednesday's start with a 1.00 ERA and Seth Lugo has been dominant as well.
That is something worth building around going forward.
Rookie catcher Carter Jensen has also been a bright spot, leading the team in home runs and showing exactly why he is one of baseball's most exciting young players.
Bobby Witt Jr. has started to find his groove after a slow start of his own, and Kyle Isbel had a strong series against Baltimore with three hits and a two-run homer.
What Comes Next
The Royals now get a day off Thursday before opening their next series on Friday night. At 8-17, the hole is getting deeper with every loss, and the margin for error is shrinking.
Pasquantino knows that as well as anyone, and the Royals cannot afford to keep giving back whatever progress they make.