Nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove catcher Salvador Perez has been the foundation of the Kansas City Royals for 15 years.
His iron man reputation continued through the first 20 games of the 2026 MLB season, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro decided to sit Perez for Kansas City’s game against the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon.
“Just looking at the way things have gone, he’s played in every game,” Quatraro said before the game, per MLB.com’s Anne Rogers. “Day game after night game, Carter [Jensen] was going to catch today. And Salvy’s been struggling a little bit. Just try to give him a little mental breather.”
The Royals fell 13-4 to the Yankees to lose their sixth straight game. Quatraro was ejected in the first inning, but he suffered a bigger blow later Saturday.
“I don’t need a mental breather,” Perez posted on X.
When you’ve lost Perez, you’ve got a bigger problem on your hands in the clubhouse. The 2015 World Series MVP is known as a consummate professional and team player. He rarely, if ever, has aired grievances. Even he is frustrated enough now to publicly call out his manager.
The Royals are 5-12 in April and 7-14 overall. After Saturday’s loss in the Bronx, Kansas City’s 7-14 overall record is tied with the New York Mets for the worst mark in Major League Baseball.
Perez has also struggled individually. He’s batting .160/.210/.307 with three home runs and six RBI in 81 plate appearances. The Royals have the fifth-worst team batting average (.218).
The Royals will try to end their six-game skid against the Yankees on Sunday afternoon.
Read the full article here
