Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this afternoon that infielder Vinnie Pasquantino and right-handed pitcher Ryan Bergert have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for August. The awards are determined by a local media vote.
Of Pasquantino’s 25 hits last month, 15 went for extra bases, including 5 doubles and 10 home runs, which tied for the 3rd most in the American League, behind only Junior Caminero (12) and Shea Langeliers (11). His 10 home runs marked the most in any single month of his career and tied for the 3rd most by any player in the month of August in Royals history, trailing Chili Davis’ 12 home runs in August 1997 and Salvador Perez’s 12 homers in August 2021. Pasquantino homered in 5 consecutive games from Aug. 18-22—matching a club record—and he recorded an extra-base hit in 7 straight games from Aug. 18-24, a stretch in which he amassed 12 RBI. In 28 overall games last month, he tallied an American League-leading 29 RBI, which trailed only Kyle Schwarber (33) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (32) in the Majors. He had the 3rd-most RBI in August in Royals history, behind Mike Sweeney in 2000 (31) and George Brett in 1980 (30). Pasquantino was named American League Player of the Week for Aug. 18-24—his third career honor—after batting .379 (11-for-29) and leading the AL with 6 homers and 12 RBI, and ranking 2nd with a 1.069 slugging percentage and 1.506 OPS. This marks his fourth career monthly honor and first since June 2024.
Bergert, who was acquired by Kansas City at the Trade Deadline, was immediately slotted into the Royals starting rotation and led all starters (min. 2 GS) last month with a 2.54 ERA (8 ER in 28.1 IP). He’s held opponents to just 2 runs or fewer in each of his 1st 5 starts as a Royal, while working a .200/.257/.362 opponents’ slashline (21-for-105). He’s joined teammate Noah Cameron and Royals Hall of Famer Steve Busby as the only players to pitch at least 5.0 innings and allow 2 runs or fewer in each of their 1st 5 appearances with the Royals. Bergert finished August with his strongest outing of the season, as he recorded his 1st quality start with a career-high 6.0 innings of 1-run ball against the White Sox at Rate Field on Aug. 27, earning his 1st career win as a starter in the Royals 12-1 series-clinching victory. Bergert is the first pitcher to win the Royals monthly honor in his first month with the team since Seth Lugo won the award in three straight months to open the 2024 season.