Team Italy captain Vinnie Pasquantino is set for some playful teasing from his Royals teammates after a memorable moment in the World Baseball Classic. Following Italy's victory over Puerto Rico, Pasquantino shared his excitement in a postgame interview on FS1.
“It’s amazing,” Pasquantino remarked. “I don’t know how many people would’ve picked the Dominican Republic, Japan, the United States, and Italy in the final four, but we’re here now, so we’re going to enjoy this for the probably next few hours.
We’ve got a flight to catch. This is incredible, man.”
However, Pasquantino realized he made a slip by not mentioning Venezuela, a team featuring Royals' Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia, and Luinder Avila, along with former Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa. Venezuela had just advanced to the semifinals by defeating Japan and was set to face Italy next.
Pasquantino took to social media to offer an apology. “Tried to get this fixed after the fact but I’m sorry I excluded Venezuela,” he wrote on X.
“Didn’t mean to do that. Looking forward to watching that game; we all know it should be fireworks.
My bad Team Venezuela. I still love you Maikel, Sal, Luinder, and Zerpa.”
Fans appreciated Pasquantino's gesture. One fan, with Venezuelan and Italian roots, expressed hopes of meeting in the final.
Another praised him for representing Kansas City and his heritage with grace. Fans continued to rally behind him, emphasizing his genuine nature and applauding his classy response.
A Yankees fan even chimed in, suggesting Pasquantino's future as a potential first baseman for New York, while others commended him for addressing the oversight. The consensus was clear: Vinnie Pasquantino is a class act, and his apology only endeared him further to fans across the board.