Vinnie Pasquantino just got paid - and it’s a well-earned reward for one of the more quietly productive hitters in the American League. The Kansas City Royals and their lefty slugger agreed to a two-year, $11.1 million deal that avoids arbitration and locks in one of their cornerstone bats through 2027. With incentives tied to plate appearances and award bonuses, the deal could climb to $15.7 million, signaling the Royals’ belief that Pasquantino’s best baseball might still be ahead.
Let’s be clear: Pasquantino earned this. In 2026, he delivered the most complete season of his four-year MLB career, setting personal bests across the board.
Over 160 games, he racked up 621 plate appearances and posted a .264/.323/.475 slash line. That came with 32 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a 120 OPS+ - strong numbers that reflect both consistency and power from the left side of the plate.
His 2.4 bWAR doesn’t scream superstar, but it underscores his value as a reliable everyday presence at first base.
The breakdown of the deal? He’ll make $4.2 million in 2026 and $6.9 million in 2027, with the potential to tack on $200,000 bonuses for hitting 450, 500, and 550 plate appearances in that second year. There are also significant award bonuses baked in - a nod to the possibility that Pasquantino’s ceiling might not be fully realized yet.
This agreement also sidesteps what could’ve been a contentious arbitration process. The Royals had filed at $4 million, while Pasquantino countered at $4.5 million.
The new deal not only meets in the middle but gives both sides some stability. For Kansas City, it’s a smart move.
They’re locking in a key piece of their lineup at a reasonable cost while avoiding the kind of back-and-forth that can sour relationships.
Meanwhile, over in the desert, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a move of their own, signing veteran Carlos Santana to a one-year, $2 million deal. At 39, Santana’s best days are behind him, but he remains a switch-hitting presence with pop and postseason experience - a low-risk, potentially high-reward signing for a team that needed to fill its first base/DH slot.
This move effectively shuts the door - for now - on a potential Paul Goldschmidt reunion in Arizona. The 2022 NL MVP, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the D-backs, is currently a free agent after finishing a one-year, $12 million stint with the Yankees. A storybook return always felt like a long shot, but Santana’s signing makes it clear the team is moving in a different direction - at least for this season.
Santana split his 2025 campaign between Cleveland and Chicago after being released by the Guardians in August. Now, he gets another shot to contribute to a playoff-caliber roster in Arizona, likely in a platoon or mentorship role.
And down in Houston, the Astros took a hit in arbitration. Catcher Yainer Diaz won his case and will earn $4.5 million in 2026, beating the team’s $3 million offer. It’s a notable win for Diaz, who just entered his first year of arbitration eligibility after three seasons as the Astros’ primary backstop.
Diaz, 27, has accumulated 9.1 bWAR over those three seasons, but his offensive numbers took a step back last year. He hit .256/.284/.417 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs over 143 games - a solid line, though his 98 OPS+ suggests he was just a tick below league average at the plate. Still, with no other proven MLB catchers currently on Houston’s roster, Diaz remains a critical piece of their puzzle heading into 2026.
So what do these moves tell us? For Kansas City, it’s about continuity and investing in a core bat.
For Arizona, it’s a savvy depth play with a veteran who can still contribute. And for Houston, it’s a reminder that arbitration can get expensive - especially when you’re short on depth at a key position.
As spring training looms, these roster tweaks might not make the biggest headlines - but they matter. They shape the margins, define depth charts, and, in some cases, signal the direction a franchise is heading.