The Kansas City Royals are keeping Salvador Perez for another four years.
On Sunday, it was reported Perez received an $82 million extension, making it a franchise record signing for Kansas City.
Perez is a six-time All-Star and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2020. Perez was also the World Series MVP in 2015 when the Royals won the championship. The five-time Gold Glove-winning catcher also slashed .333/.353/.633 in 2020.
Royals fans have grown to love their catcher, and many will be pleased to see he is around for the long haul. Perez is turning 31 this year, so this extension brings him up to age 35, where he would likely be nearing the end of his Major League career. Perez has also made it clear that Kansas City is where he sees himself ending his career. He has received a lot of praise from the organization, including comments from general manager Dayton Moore, who said, “who he is as a person, what he means to the game of baseball, what he means to the organization, our fans. It’s a special day to be able to celebrate that.”
The consensus among fans and the organization is that Perez has become a fixture in the clubhouse, not only for his skills on the field but for the expertise and guidance he offers to the younger players that enter into the franchise. There was also some concern going into this offseason as to whether the Royals would have the advantage to keep Salvador around, which prompted Moore to have a conversation with Perez at the end of the season to ensure there was a mutual interest for an extension.
The Royals signed another contract extension this month when they extended Hunter Dozier’s four-year extension for $25 million.
Kansas City seemed like a no-brainer for Perez, and after the extension was announced, he said, “I love the people here, I love the fans. I’m excited. I can’t wait for the season to start and to see what happens.” And, as we get closer to opening day, Royals fans will get to see their catcher take the field once again.
