First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is entering the 2026 MLB season with a clear message for the Kansas City Royals and their fans. After putting together the best full season of his career in 2025, Pasquantino is speaking candidly about expectations for the team in a year when the Royals believe they have the pieces to compete in a tough American League.
His leadership, production and durability have made him one of the most important bats in the Kansas City lineup, and his words reflect a strong desire to turn potential into results.
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“Last year was a failure,” Pasquantino said, according to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers. “We’ve got to be better than that. We know that.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys on multiyear deals, deals past their free agency, veterans – this team is built to win. We need to do that. That’s the expectation, that’s the standard, and it’s going to start here in a few days knowing that is this team. We are built for the playoffs. We got to go do it. There is no other option, really, because that’s what we got to do. This team was built to win.”
Pasquantino’s 2025 season was a breakout by any measure. He played 160 games, the most of his career, and finished with a .264 batting average, .323 on‑base percentage, .798 OPS, 32 home runs and 113 RBIs, ranking among the American League leaders in homers and RBIs.
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Those numbers were especially impressive considering his injury history early in his career. Pasquantino missed significant time in both 2023 and 2024 due to injuries, but stayed healthy for the full 2025 campaign, giving the Royals a consistent middle‑of‑the‑order presence that Kansas City had lacked in previous seasons.
Despite Pasquantino’s offensive success, the Royals as a team fell short of postseason goals in 2025. Kansas City finished with a winning record but failed to secure a playoff spot, leaving many within the organization wanting more. Pasquantino’s assessment of last year’s results captures that sentiment and sets the tone for the clubhouse entering Spring Training.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Royals hope that continuity and internal improvement will be key. With core players like Pasquantino, Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia all under contract, Kansas City has a roster that should be capable of competing for a wild card berth if the offense improves. Pasquantino is expected to remain one of the team’s top offensive contributors.
For now, Pasquantino’s message is clear: the Royals have the talent, they know the standard and anything less than a push toward October baseball will be unacceptable in 2026.