Royals Rookie Catcher Oversleeps, Removed From Lineup

Carter Jensen was late to the ballpark, forcing the team to adjust its starting lineup.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting in vibrant colors depicting a fragmented baseball game, with sharp, overlapping shapes representing the disruption caused by a player's tardiness.A fractured, cubist illustration captures the chaos and tension of a young player's missed start, as the Royals scramble to adjust their lineup.Kansas City Today

Royals rookie catcher Carter Jensen overslept and missed the start of Thursday's game against the Minnesota Twins, leading the team to remove him from the starting lineup. Jensen, a 22-year-old Kansas City native, arrived too late to prepare and was replaced behind the plate by veteran Salvador Perez.

Why it matters

Oversleeping and missing a game is a rare occurrence in professional baseball, where players are expected to maintain strict routines and schedules. This incident highlights the challenges young players can face in adjusting to the rigors of Major League life, and the importance of developing good habits early in one's career.

The details

Jensen told reporters he simply 'slept through' his alarm and had 'no excuse' for missing the 1:10 p.m. local start time. The Royals ended up losing the game 5-1 to the Twins, with Perez catching the first eight innings before Jensen entered in the ninth.

  • The game was scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. local start time on Thursday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Carter Jensen

A 22-year-old rookie catcher for the Kansas City Royals, who was drafted by the team in the third round in 2021 and made his MLB debut last September.

Salvador Perez

The Royals' veteran catcher, who started the game behind the plate after Jensen's late arrival.

Vinnie Pasquantino

The Royals' first baseman, who spoke to reporters about the incident and said the team is supportive of Jensen.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't wake up to my alarm. Slept through it. Don't really have an excuse — nor should I. It [stinks]. It happens. I feel like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and just know it won't happen again.”

— Carter Jensen, Royals Rookie Catcher

“First and foremost, I'm glad Carter's OK. I mean, that was kind of the initial thought when you're trying to get a hold of his parents and everything like that — just make sure he's OK.”

— Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals First Baseman

“There are some things that cannot happen, and that's one of them. So he's going to have to wear it on the chin — same way anybody would have to. It can't happen, and hopefully it doesn't happen again. But it's one of those things that you just can't afford mistakes like that in this game. Just got to move forward the best that he can. I know he feels really bad.”

— Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals First Baseman

What’s next

The Royals are off on Friday before hosting the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series starting on Saturday. It remains to be seen if Jensen will be back in the starting lineup for the Brewers series.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a wake-up call for the young catcher, reminding him of the importance of punctuality and professionalism in the major leagues. While the Royals are supportive, they also made it clear that oversleeping and missing a game is unacceptable, and Jensen will need to learn from this experience to avoid similar mistakes in the future.