The Royals need this player to step up soon.
The Kansas City Royals have endured a slow start to the 2026 MLB season. Kansas City is currently 8-17 and at the bottom of the American League Central standings. The Royals are currently among the worst teams in all of MLB. In order to bounce back, they will need a number of players to get things going. One player the Royals especially need to step up is first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.
As of this story's writing, Pasquantino is hitting just .160/.248/.298 across 25 games played. He has hit three home runs, but his production has not met his expectations without question.
So, what is going wrong for Pasquantino so far this season?
Vinnie Pasquantino's Struggles in 2026
There are a number of concerning elements in Pasquantino's game. It is surprising because it seemed as if he had momentum after making a big impact in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy. Nevertheless, Pasquantino is struggling at the plate right now.
He is not striking out too much for the most part despite his strikeout rate being up from last year. His 21.1 strikeout percentage is in the 51st percentile. Additionally, Pasquantino is in the 82nd percentile for whiff percentage. When he is connecting with the ball, though, Pasquantino does not seem to be hitting it all that hard.
He is currently in the 31st percentile for hard-hit percentage. His career average hard-hit percentage is 44.7 percent. In 2025, the first baseman recorded a mark of 44.9 percent.
Interestingly, Pasquantino is hitting more fly balls than ever. He simply is not driving the ball like he has in the past.
Will Pasquantino Bounce Back?
Is the 28-year-old destined to have a bad season, or is this just an early-season slump?
While Pasquantino is striking out more and hitting the ball hard at a less consistent rate, this still does seem to be a slump. One has to imagine he will get back on track. Pasquantino is too talented of a hitter to continue with such a low hard-hit rate.
If his numbers do not improve within the next couple of months, then there will be realistic reason for concern. It has been a difficult month for Pasquantino, but hope remains at the moment.
With that being said, Kansas City needs Pasquantino to figure things out as soon as possible. The Royals must have him playing at a respectable level in order to begin winning games on a consistent basis.