Salvador Perez has made his position clear as the trade deadline approaches: he wants to remain a Royal.
The Kansas City icon, who recently moved past George Brett on the franchise’s all-time home run list, is not looking for a change of scenery. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Perez has no interest in leaving the organization he’s spent his entire career with.
"Salvy Perez, future Hall of Famer and legacy player, doesn’t want to leave the Royals and has veto power over trades," the New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote on X.
"About a half-dozen teams seek a catcher, but they can probably look elsewhere," Heyman added.
That matters because several clubs could use help behind the plate. The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams that could be searching for an upgrade at catcher.
Perez, though, has been splitting his time around the diamond this season. He has appeared in 39 games behind the plate in 2026, with 36 starts there, while also spending time at first base and designated hitter.
At the plate, the 36-year-old has gone through a difficult offensive season. In 100 games, he is hitting .211/.261/.366 with 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .627 OPS.
That OPS stands out for the wrong reason: it would be the lowest of Perez’s career in a season where he’s played more than 100 games. His previous low in that category was .692 in 2014.
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