Notes: Vinnie has blast in spring-opening win

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Before Friday’s Cactus League opener, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said he’s going to try to get as many at-bats “as humanly possible” before heading to Taiwan in March to compete for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

He might be ready after one.

Pasquantino launched a two-run rocket of a home run in his first plate appearance of the spring schedule in the Royals’ 6-5 walk-off win over the Rangers at Surprise Stadium.

It landed in the visitors’ bullpen and gave the Royals a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

“He’s got that combination of seeing the ball and hitting for power, which is really rare,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Especially for a big guy. It is impressive.”

With the WBC getting started in a couple weeks, participants are ramping up more quickly than under their normal Spring Training schedule. Pasquantino, for example, wanted to get three or four at-bats in on Friday, as well as five innings in the field.

“I’m going to be sore tomorrow, which is really funny thinking about playing first base being super taxing,” Pasquantino said. “But first day back in spikes, I’ll wear it tomorrow, and we’ll be back Sunday. And I’m trying to take it as seriously as I can to get ready. Because the environment will be completely different once real games start in the WBC. Just game plan-wise about how pitchers are going to attack.”

The home run was not the end of Pasquantino’s day. In his second plate appearance, he singled through the right-side gap of the infield, which may have been a groundout prior to the new shift restrictions. In Pasquantino’s third and final plate appearance, he walked on three pitches because of Rangers left-hander John King’s pitch-timer violation resulting in an automatic ball four.

“I did everything today,” Pasquantino joked. “… The best part was being on the field in front of people. Heart is beating a little bit faster. Got the competitive juices going, being ready from pitch one, that’s always exciting. To feel the dirt again. Good time.”

Throwing strikes

The Royals’ motto in Spring Training and 2023 is, “Raid the zone.” On Day 1 of spring games, they put the words into action. Eight Kansas City pitchers walked just two batters over nine innings, and coaches were pleased with how their pitchers filled up the zone.

That included starter Daniel Lynch, who threw two innings with no walks and flooded the zone with strikes. Lynch allowed three runs on four hits -- one was a sun ball dropped by left fielder John Rave, and another was a home run that Robbie Grossman got ahold of after facing Lynch several times last year with the Tigers.

“We’ve made such an emphasis on strike throwing, and we had two walks on the day,” Quatraro said. “So that’s a good way to start. I thought Daniel threw the ball really well. He got hurt by the sun ball, but he just kept throwing strikes and challenging those guys to put the ball in play.”

Perhaps the most impressive takeaway was reliever Josh Staumont, who pounded the zone in his one inning of work with two strikeouts. The right-hander sat 93-97 mph and flashed 99 mph, according to the stadium radar gun. Staumont dealt with injury last year and can lose the zone at times, but having him right again would be a boost to the Royals’ bullpen.

“With the pitching, when you compare it to, not necessarily year’s past, but just the way that guys were attacking hitters was really cool to see,” Pasquantino said. “To see Daniel Lynch show that confidence that he had, and then Staumont was incredible. Hopefully that’s what fans should be coming to see -- a pitching staff that’s ready to go from pitch one.”

Royals rumblings

• Outfielder Tucker Bradley was the walk-off hero, hitting a first-pitch missile over the center-field fence to seal the win. Bradley, ranked as the Royals’ No. 23 prospect by MLB Pipeline, isn’t even in big league camp. He dressed on Friday in case the team needed a substitution late in the game.

“A guy that’s not in big league camp to come over and hit a walk-off homer, that’s pretty special,” Quatraro said.

• The Royals will employ the bulk of their bullpen to pitch in Saturday’s game against the Rangers, with Carlos Hernández, Dylan Coleman, Josh Taylor and Scott Barlow all scheduled to pitch after Mike Mayers starts the contest at 2:05 p.m. CT (live on MLB.TV).