Kansas City Royals are much better with Salvador Perez in the lineup

By Leigh Oleszczak | May 12, 2018

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 11: Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) hits a 2-run home run to left during the seventh inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians on May 11, 2018, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. Kansas City defeated Cleveland 10-9. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

There’s a reason why Salvador Perez is so beloved by Kansas City Royals fans. He’s the heart and soul of the boys in blue and that has shown greatly since his return to the team.

When news spread that Salvador Perez could miss the first month of the 2018 season, Kansas City Royals fans were not happy. It was already going to be a rough season, as the team made it clear they were planning for a rebuild, but now Salvy was going to miss time? Come on, man.

During those first few weeks without Perez, the Royals looked awful offensively. Awful might be too nice of a description honestly. They looked like 100 losses would be easily obtainable.

Other than their 10-0 win over the Mariners in the first few weeks of the season, the Royals looked lost at the plate. They plated seven runs in their season opener, but it was after they were already being blown out by the freaking White Sox, another team who was rebuilding, and had even younger players than KC did.

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Perez returned to action on April 24th against the Milwaukee Brewers and hit a home run in his return. The Royals would lose that game and the next five that followed, but it takes time to build chemistry and that’s what had to happen.

Once Perez got hot, the Royals offense got hot. The Royals have gone 8-10 with Perez in the lineup, whether as the starting catcher or designated hitter, and have only been shutout once during that time.

Perez himself has been red hot at the dish, slashing .282/.312/.535 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 71 at bats (these stats as of after Friday’s win over the Indians). With the way Salvador Perez is hitting, it’s helped the rest of the team succeed as well and the Royals have shown that they’re no longer lifeless at the plate.

Perez is someone the team and the fans can rely on to start rallies and score runners. He hit a grand slam in the first inning against the Orioles on Thursday (his birthday nonetheless) and has been a big factor in why the Royals aren’t as pathetic offensively anymore.

When push comes to shove, the Kansas City Royals need Salvador Perez, both offensively and defensively. Drew Butera is a fine backup, but he’s a backup for a reason. His presence behind the dish isn’t as noticeable as Perez’s and his bat certainly isn’t as powerful as Salvy’s. Butera also isn’t the same kind of leader that Perez is.

Perez has been a fan favorite since he first got his major league call-up, but even with a rebuild and new players emerging, one thing has remained the same: Salvador Perez is still the heart and soul of the Kansas City Royals.

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