Catch Vinnie Pasquantino’s viral split? KC Royals star prepares for moments like that

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino reached deep into his bag of tricks against the Toronto Blue Jays.

He knew the situation called for it.

It was the eighth inning on April 23. The Royals fielded a routine ground ball at Kauffman Stadium. Pasquantino raced over to the first-base bag and waited on the incoming throw from Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

Witt started his motion. He needed to expedite the throw with Blue Jays second baseman Davis Schneider hustling down the line. In mere seconds, Witt fired the baseball from the cut of the infield grass.

The throw sliced through chilly Kansas City air, but it tailed away from the bag in mid-flight.

Pasquantino had to adjust his stance. So, he stretched with full extension to haul in the baseball. He wound up perpendicular to the ground in a full 180-degree stretch.

The Royals recorded the out. But, Pasquantino recorded something else … a viral moment and a full split.

“I mean, it’s just part of the job description,” Pasquantino said. “A lot of my offseason work goes into obviously the lifting portion, the defense portion, but some of it that isn’t really talked about is the aspect of having a functional moving body.”

There is a lot that goes into playing first base. Pasquantino has elevated his game in multiple aspects this season. He has registered a 3 DRS (defensive runs saved) rating through 27 games, per FanGraphs.

He also has a 1.1 UZR (ultimate zone rating). This statistic measures a player’s entire defensive performance. It takes into account several factors such as errors, range, outfield arm and double-play ability.

A lot of credit goes to Pasquantino’s immense training regimen. He constantly works on his flexibility and range of motion.

“We have these, we call them vitamins — or you can call them (workout) flows — that we do,” Pasquantino said. “It’s basically moving in and out of my hip. Getting in 90-90 positions (a form of stretch that creates a 90-degree angle from hips to knee) and different things like that. Just working on hip flexibility, shin mobility and ankle mobility.”

Pasquantino appreciates the routine outs at first base. Still, he understands the value of being prepared for unconventional play. The mobility training allows him to break out a split when needed.

“It’s one of those things, especially in the offseason, I pay attention to how my hips are feeling and different things like that,” Pasquantino said. “When I need it, I need to be able to do it.”

Pasquantino returned from shoulder surgery this season. He got off to a slow start before heating up in recent weeks. The offense has paired well with his defensive efforts in the Royals lineup.

Through 87 at-bats to start 2024, Pasquantino had four home runs and 13 RBIs. He also has offered protection for both Witt and Royals captain Salvador Perez in the batting order.

His offseason mobility training also affects other areas. It can help with his swing rotation just as much as his defensive range.

“Making sure my hips are moving the correct way,” Pasquantino said. “That’s just one of the biggest focuses of the offseason. It’s making sure I can move, essentially.”

Royals second baseman Michael Massey enjoys watching Pasquantino at first base. He has marveled at his craft since both were in the minor leagues.

“He’s really good over there,” Massey said. “He’s picked me up a bunch of times. I’ve played second base next to him for five years now. So he puts a lot of work on it, and he is diligent with his routines and what he does. Everyone is kind of seeing it right now, but he has been doing it for years.”

The Royals have won games this season with pitching and defense. Those areas have quickly become the fabric of their success. Royals manager Matt Quatraro is confident in Pasquantino and the entire defense backing up the pitching staff.

“They want to keep putting zeroes up (on the scoreboard),” Quatraro said. “It benefits them and it benefits the team. And when it’s not going well for them and you are able to win a game, it masks some of the personal struggles and guys don’t dwell on that as much.”

Pasquantino has a firm handle on the first-base duties. He plans to continue making the simple plays at the position. But when he needs it, the split will always be an available option.

“I’ve never really had any issues with (flexibility),” Pasquantino said. “As I get older, I’m sure I will find some things that don’t feel as good. As long as I have that in my pocket, I feel pretty good with what I’m doing.”