As the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline inches closer, the Kansas City Royals should be a big player in a large number of conversations around the league. With an American League-worst 38-59 record, General Manager J.J. Picollo needs to assess who the cornerstone pieces are to build around, and who he’d be willing to let go… for the right price.
Much of the Royals’ roster falls into the latter part of the category. A sad truth, but a necessary moment for the organization to come to grips with. However, one guy who fits somewhat in the middle of the road is power-hitting 1B/DH Vinnie Pasquantino.
For weeks, his name has been a regular one to hear from fans calling for him to be traded. And it’s understandable, given his downfall into hitting a career-worst .222 through 70 games with just six home runs and a .345 slugging percentage. As well as the ‘Sasquatch’, missing the past month of the season due to a broken bone in his hand.
But if the Royals do the same digging I just did into Vinnie’s situation, it’s clear to see why he should be a guy they keep around for the long haul. Certainly not build the team around him, as Bobby Witt Jr. has that covered for the time being, along with Jac Caglianone, but continue to support and try to get the best out of a guy whose ceiling has still yet to be reached.
Vinnie Pasquantino’s bargain contract is exactly why the Royals shouldn’t trade him
Prior to this season’s start, Pasquantino and the Royals had agreed on a two-year, $11.1 million contract with Kansas City. Performance escalators and incentives could reach up to $15.7 million, along with an arbitration eligibility year in 2028, essentially keeping him locked onto the team until 2029.
That means for the rest of this year and two more, Pasquantino is one cheap $6-8 million dollar payroll hits, a far cry from what he provides the team when playing as he has the past two seasons. Sure, Vinnie has had a rough first half of 2026, and fans feel desperate for instant improvement. But trading his contract away would be a poor move.
Over the 2024-25 seasons combined, Pasquantino has been quite healthy, playing in 291 total games, and hitting an average of .263 on 51 homers, over 200 RBI’s, nearly 300 hits, and a .462 slugging percentage. Not to mention his 3.7 WAR average. Those aren’t elite numbers by any means, but incredibly solid production from a guy who just eight months ago, fans were singing praises about.
Sure, sports move fast and tend to pass players by rather than vice-versa, but to believe that we’ve seen the best from the 28-year-old Pasquantino and that it’s all downhill from here just based on a small handful of months of bad baseball is reactionary. Entering next season, Pasquantino projects to probably be the fourth or fifth guy in the batting lineup, behind really quality pieces like Witt, Cags, Maikel Garcia, and Carter Jensen. That’s a great spot for a guy who last year led the team in RBIs.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kckingdom.com ’
