Vinnie Pasquantino is ahead of schedule and could return for the Wild Card Series

Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino His regular season ended a month ago when he suffered a fractured right thumb. It was a devastating blow to Kansas City's offense, and under the original schedule that was in place at the time, it was likely that he would miss the next six to eight weeks, which would not only mean the end of his regular season, but would likely sideline him for most, if not all, of the postseason. However, when we look to today, things look far more optimistic. As Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star noted, consideration is being given to moving Pasquantino off the injured list in order to be added to the club's roster for the AL Wild Card Series, which begins Tuesday.

The move would come as something of a shock just four weeks after his injury, but Thompson notes that the 26-year-old has started batting practice again and even faced live pitching yesterday. In an interview during the team's broadcast of yesterday's game, GM JJ Picollo noted that Pasquantino “felt good” after the session, but that the club would need to evaluate him today before deciding whether to activate him or continue his rehab. measures should continue in the hope of success as the club advances deeper into the playoffs should they make it that far. According to MLB.com's Anne Rogers, the club plans to have Pasquantino pitch live again tomorrow before making a decision on whether or not to activate him for Tuesday's Wild Card Series.

If Pasquantino is truly healthy enough to return early, it would be a big boost for Kansas City's offense. In 131 games with the Royals this year, the 26-year-old has hit a respectable .262/.315/.446 with 19 home runs in 554 trips to the plate and a 108 wRC+. That makes him just one of four Royals hitters, along with the second baseman, with a wRC+ above league average Michael MasseyVeteran backstop Salvador Perezand MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. For a Royals club that made it to the postseason primarily due to an excellent starting rotation (and Witt's offensive heroics), adding another reliable slugger to the lineup could be a game-changer for the Royals early in the season their first postseason series since winning the 2015 World Series nearly a decade ago.

While the first baseman could return to action for the series, that doesn't necessarily mean he will play first base. Thompson points out that the club activated Massey back in June before he was ready to return to defense, instead using him exclusively as a DH and pinch hitter for two weeks before eventually releasing him back to defensive duties at keystone. If the Royals go down a similar path with Pasquantino, it's possible he wouldn't return to his first base role until late in the playoffs, if at all.

That would work Yuli Gurrielwho hit .260/.361/.320 (96 wRC+) in 17 games with the Royals this year, is the club's first baseman, while Pasquantino will be used as the club's everyday DH in the postseason. In recent weeks, the Royals have not had a permanent DH and have instead used that spot in the lineup to rest players, but Pasquantino's return is likely to be costly Freddy Fermin Playing time was shortened by the club starting Perez behind the plate more often. However, it is also possible that Perez could be deployed as the club's regular first baseman, leaving Fermin behind the plate and relegating Gurriel to the bench.