Kansas City Royals captain Salvador Perez remains shining example for young teammates

Baseball fans were treated to a special moment on Tuesday night.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke stood on the mound at Comerica Park for perhaps the final time in his illustrious MLB career. He faced Detroit Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera, who is in his final season.

Then there was Royals captain Salvador Perez. The veteran catcher was in his stead witnessing two future Hall of Famers duel one last time.

There is a lot of history between all three players. Perez knows both players well as Greinke is a longtime teammate and Cabrera is his fellow countryman. Each has left an impact on Perez’s baseball career — both on and off the field.

“That’s another guy, I am going to miss him,” Perez said of Cabrera. “I told him that (on Tuesday): ‘I’m going to miss talking to you. I wish you the best. … Hopefully, we can see you again.’”

Now, Perez is in a similar role. He continues to produce at an All-Star level and holds a key responsibility as the Royals’ captain, a rare honor in club history.

Several Royals follow his leadership. They see his competitive fire, tireless work ethic and unbridled passion for the game. Perez is always ready to suit up regardless of any nicks or pain he is feeling.

And he does it with his signature smile.

“There is no excuse. If Sal is doing it, you gotta do it,” Royals second baseman Michael Massey said. “You’ve got a guy, at this point in his career, still sprinting down the line and still showing up every day ready to work. (There’s) really not an excuse for someone who just got here to not be doing that kind of stuff.

“Just watching him go about his business, you can really learn a lot. We are all lucky to be able to play with Sal.”

Despite a disappointing 2023 season, Perez remains engaged in helping a young Royals team get better. He is present in every pitchers’ meeting and has taken several players under his wing in the clubhouse.

His teammates know they can take the short walk over to his locker. Most times, Perez will be there to offer sage advice and encouragement.

“Even (outside) of the ‘C,’ the captain thing, I am still going to try to do my best as they can follow me and try to get better,” Perez said. “I talk to them about situations and all of that. I think that is very important as you have a lot of youth on the team.”

The Royals have 11 players that have made their MLB debut this season. Rookies Jonathan Bowlan and Anthony Veneziano each debuted against the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Royals catchers Logan Porter and Tyler Cropley filled in admirably when Perez missed time with a concussion.

“He’s the face of this whole entire thing,” Porter said. “Whenever you think of the Kansas City Royals, you think of Salvador Perez.”

Porter has watched Perez from a young age. He was a former Royals clubbie and spent time around the team in spring training. When he joined the Royals organization, he remembered a fun interaction with Perez.

He recalled Perez remembering him as a youngster. Now, Porter is Perez’s teammate and the moment is something he will always cherish.

“It’s definitely really cool,” Porter said. “I know my spring training and first big-league camp, being able to work with him and for him to actually know who I am is crazy. He is the man and the captain. He is a Royals legend.”

The Royals named Perez team captain this offseason. He joined Royals Hall of Famers George Brett, Frank White and Mike Sweeney as the only players to receive the honor.

“He’s been around the game for a long time,” Royals outfielder MJ Melendez said. “He is definitely a huge role model for a lot of us. He shows us how to do things the right way and how to play the game.”

This season, Perez has been instrumental in helping several players develop. Whether it’s talking baseball or how to handle the ebbs and flows of the season — or any number of matters — Perez has been a pillar of support for his teammates.

He is right there during the big moments and his “Salvy Splash” is a staple for walk-off hits or strong performances.

However, Perez is also there for the tough times. He is almost always ready to answer tough questions from the media and stand up for his guys.

“Whenever I have any questions, he is the first person I go to ask,” Melendez said. “I’ve asked him for a lot of advice throughout the season on how to handle different situations. He has really helped me in that.”

This season, Perez is hitting .254 with 22 home runs and 75 RBIs. He is an eight-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner. Additionally, Perez won a World Series MVP and is a four-time Silver Slugger.

The accolades are special. However, Perez is probably best known for his respected character from his teammates and around the league.

“When he catches and goes to deliver a certain message on the mound,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “I’m sure it has a lot of weight to it when he talks to certain pitchers.”

Perez is beloved and fans sport his No. 13 jersey with pride. His commitment to leadership — and to the Royals — stands out after 12 years with the organization.

Regardless of the outcome, Perez is excited to see how the Royals will develop moving forward to next season.

“I think the way we finish says a lot of things about us for next year,” Perez said. “The main thing right now is to finish healthy, concentrate on the offseason, work hard and get ready for spring training.”

And if you ask him, Perez is just getting started.