Pasquatch Power Surge

How Vinnie turned a slow 2025 start into the hottest two-month stretch of his MLB career

Photo courtesy of AP/Charlie Riedel

Dating back to July 1, the Royals No. 3 hitter has bashed 13 home runs. He’s slashing .253/.322/.576. His isolated power (.323) is that of a true middle-of-the-order bopper. And he’s doing it with a 15.3% strikeout rate, that of a slapstick leadoff man, not a league-leading thumper.

Vinnie Pasquantino shook off his slow start to the season, in which he hit .177 in March/April with a .327 slugging percentage. He’s now entrenched as one of MLB’s premier run producers, leading Kansas City back into a playoff chase in which it now trails Seattle by just 2.5 games — and, maybe more importantly, finds itself as the nearest team to a playoff bid, having jumped Cleveland and Texas.

During this summer stretch, Pasquantino’s 13 home runs are tied for eighth most in baseball since July 1 (along with teammate Salvador Perez). His .898 OPS is 20th among hitters with at least 150 plate appearances in July and August. The aforementioned .323 ISO ranks sixth, behind a handful of the game’s elite sluggers: Kyle Schwarber, Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Shoehei Ohtani and Kyle Stowers.

What changed?

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