Royals Lose First Baseman Pasquantino for 6-8 Weeks with Broken Thumb

The Kansas City Royals suffered a major blow on Thursday night when their starting first baseman, Vinnie Pasquantino, broke his right thumb after a disastrous play in the 8th inning against the Houston Astros. Pasquantino, who made his MLB debut last season, was injured after a throw from reliever Lucas Erceg hit the outside of his glove. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, potentially jeopardizing his return before the end of the regular season. The Royals lost the game to the Astros 6-3 after surrendering four runs in the 8th inning, with the first run coming off the very play that resulted in Pasquantino’s injury. Although the exact nature of Erceg’s injury has not been announced, it also forced him to exit the game. Pasquantino’s absence is a significant blow to the Royals, who are currently 1.5 games back from the lead in the AL Central and fighting for a playoff spot. They now face the challenge of maintaining their momentum without their starting first baseman.