Kansas City Royals: Bold Predictions for Salvador Perez in 2020

With the uncertainty of when or even if MLB gets a chance to play a 2020 season, here are four bold predictions for Salvador Perez leading into the arbitrary start of the Kansas City Royals’ 2020 season.

Salvador Perez will start at catcher in the All-Star Game

Let’s just assume that there will be an All-Star Game this season even if it’s not at the same time it normally is. Salvy has been to six All-Star Games and started five in a row from 2014-2018. Last season’s injury is probably all that kept him from starting in his sixth straight and being the representative for the Kansas City Royals.

The Yankees’ Gary Sanchez started at catcher last season for the AL. Even though he had a season where he hit 34 bombs, it will be tough for him to capture the fan’s vote to start a second time. Salvy carries too much of a “fan favorite” from too many fans from other teams to not win this vote. He’s the most well-known Royal for a reason.

Salvador Perez will spend no time on the Injured List

This is a hard thing to actually predict because trips to the Injured List can happen at anytime for a player, especially for a catcher. Salvy has been prone to injuries since his debut with the Royals in 2011.

Including last year’s season ending injury in Spring Training that required Tommy John surgery,  Salvy has been on the IL for two other extended stays.

In 2012 didn’t play in his first game that season until the beginning of July. He was also part of a bizarre off-the-field injury in 2018 when he tore a medial collateral ligament (MCL) while carrying luggage right before Opening Day.

Let’s just say all Royals fans know it will be important to keep him in the lineup, and with the possibility of a shortened season – or one that simply takes place in Arizona – coming off of a major elbow surgery helps suggest the rest of Salvador’s body is ready to playing every day whether it be behind the plate or as a DH.

Perez will win both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger

Mitch Garver of the Twins won last season’s AL Silver Slugger at catcher after hitting a respectable .273 to include 31 home runs. It was a great bust-out season for a guy who really has only been in the league for two seasons and is now at 29 years of age.

Perez, on the other hand, is also 29 with a career BA of .266 in his 3,737 career at bats. His numbers suggest he will be able to at least be around the same as a player who had a break-out season. Unless another catcher in the AL does this it appears that Salvy will be the odds on favorite to win his third career Silver Slugger.

The same can be said for gold gloves. Salvy already has five of those and the only catcher that interrupted a consecutive streak was last season’s injury and a guy that caught in 74 games last season for the Royals, Martin Maldonoldo in 2017.

Last season Indian’s catcher Roberto Perez won the gold glove with a caught stealing percentage of 41%. His most impressive number was exactly zero passed balls.

Savly has posted three seasons abover 40% and has a career average of throwing out 35% of would be base steals. We know there is a chance that the Tommy John surgery might play a role in this, but there has also been an emphasis on holding runners by Royals Manager Mike Matheny. Let’s just say there Salvy is going to be up for the challenge if teams decide they want to run on him.

Salvy will hit for power in 2020

Perez’s 162 game average for homers sits right now at 24 per season and 141 for his career. We know for fact that he will pass “Big John” Mayberry (143) to claim sevenyh on the Royals all-time list. Depending on how many games MLB plays this season will determine the next proclamation. Sal Perez will pass Frank White (160) also on the all-time list. Even if the season is short, Salvy will hit 19 home runs this season.

The one thing all Royals fans can be thankful for is that we know Salvy will provide everyone with a “Salvy Splash” or two this season. Let’s just hope it gets here sooner rather than later.