ARLINGTON, Texas — There won’t be a participant extra synonymous with this century’s golden period of Kansas City Royals baseball than longtime catcher Salvador Perez. From his electrical smile to his means to proceed producing at a excessive stage into his 30s, Perez’s legacy of greatness has solely grown over time.
While Perez, 34, is now within the again half of his profession, it’s not a swan music. In truth, he has discovered a second wind within the again half of his profession, slashing .279/.341/.468 with a team-leading 17 homers for a Royals squad that sits 52-45 and two video games again of a wild card on the break.
“It’s a lot of sacrifice, especially in the offseason,” Perez informed Yahoo Sports. “You need to take care of your body. Take care of your [diet] and work hard. It’s a lot of sacrifices you gotta make if you wanna play in the big leagues for a long time.”
Perez’s success this season was by no means assured. Following the Royals’ three-year run of dominance capped by their 2015 World Series title, issues started to take a flip in Kansas City because the shine of the World Series light.
As the Royals took a step again, it turned clear they have been beginning to rebuild once more, one thing that’s not precisely new in Kansas City. The staff started to transfer on from its World Series heroes, permitting first baseman Eric Hosmer and heart fielder Lorenzo Cain to stroll in free company in 2017 and buying and selling Mike Moustakas in ’18.
Often when a company goes in a brand new path, it means saying goodbye to the franchise’s former pillars. But even after seeing his teammates on the transfer, the need to go away Kansas City was by no means there for Perez.
“They feel like a family in Kansas City,” he stated. “I understand sometimes it’s about business. People have to take care of their families, I get it. I still talk with Hosmer, LoCain, Moose, all those guys. I think it’s part of life. You go to the next place and try to do your best wherever you’re going.”
Yet even with the Royals taking a step again, the staff stepped up for certainly one of its finest gamers, signing Perez to a five-year, $52 million extension in March 2021 to hold him in Kansas City till no less than the tip of 2025. With that, he dedicated to sticking round for the following good Royals staff.
“It was kinda hard,” he stated. “When you taste the playoffs, you want to play in the playoffs every year. But you’re not gonna make it every year.”
Amid all of the dropping, Perez continued to present that he may lead a clubhouse that has fully modified for the reason that staff gained the World Series. In flip, he has performed a big position in welcoming within the subsequent period of Royals baseball, highlighted by Bobby Witt Jr., who has gone from certainly one of baseball’s high prospects to certainly one of its budding superstars.
And whereas Witt has taken the reins because the franchise cornerstone, signing an 11-year, $288.8 million deal earlier than this season, Perez has continued to produce in his 14th season with the group. For the Royals’ younger celebrity, having the veteran catcher with him alongside the best way has made a big affect.
“He takes everything day by day,” Witt stated when requested what he has discovered from Perez. “And he doesn’t really worry about what happened in the past. He goes 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, and the next day, he’s the same guy. Just being able to know that today’s a new day. There’s another opportunity, and he’s got to live in the present.”
Whatever Perez and Witt are doing, it’s working. Together, they’ve offered most of Kansas City’s offensive firepower this season. For his half, Perez has been ready to faucet into extra energy as he has aged, with 111 homers in his previous three-plus seasons, together with a career-high 48 in 2021. With 263 profession homers, he has a shot at 300, a milestone solely seven catchers in MLB historical past have reached.
“It’s unbelievable,” Witt stated of Perez’s longevity. “I’m not surprised with the work that guy puts in.”
Perez’s manufacturing has stored him as an integral a part of the Royals’ offense, even because the staff has gotten youthful and extra athletic and seen adjustments to the teaching workers and within the entrance workplace. The Royals’ nine-time All-Star was named the staff’s captain prior to the 2023 season, which is an enormous deal for the group. He is the primary Kansas City captain since Mike Sweeney in 2007 and simply the fourth in franchise historical past to put on the “C” on his chest.
The presence of the longtime catcher — the final member of the 2015 World Series staff nonetheless enjoying within the massive leagues — isn’t one thing that may be missed.
“Playing against him for years, you have the respect because of his name and his numbers,” Royals right-hander Seth Lugo stated. “But once you get to know him, I mean, what a great person. Anybody that’s ever met him, you’re gonna have to respect them and treat them right because he’s going to treat everyone right.”
These days, Perez catches fewer video games, usually getting time at designated hitter or first base, which has helped him keep within the lineup. The five-time Gold Glove winner has caught greater than 10,000 innings in his big-league profession. And whereas he gained’t say for sure when he’ll be finished, Perez believes he nonetheless has extra within the tank.
With the Royals’ trajectory pointing upward, that may very well be the extra enhance to hold going.
“As many years as I can,” Perez stated when requested how lengthy he’ll play. “We’re going to keep working hard, sacrificing. And we’re gonna see.”
