Congratulations, Salvador Pérez!
Beloved Kansas City Royal Salvador Pérez was named the American League Player of the Week for the bolstering and electrifying offensive showcase he presented this past week and for taking pivotal steps to etch his name into the history books.
The seven-time All-Star assembled a slash line of .357/.455/1.000, including six home runs, 14 RBI over the span of seven games to earn the weekly award. Two of the six home runs included grand slams, one being a go-ahead slam Thursday night and the other to tie the game on Friday against the Seattle Mariners in consecutive games.
Pérez has spent the past 11 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, surpassing monumental milestones with each stroke of the bat. In Sunday’s matchup against the Mariners, Pérez clobbered his 38th home run of the season and is currently tied with former teammate and career-long Royal Alex Gordon (190) for fourth place on the Royals All-Time home run list.
“Wow, you’re great, you’re the best, man,” Pérez said as he directed his comments to Gordon in the postgame press conference. “But I’m going to catch you, okay? I’m going to hit one more.”
In five consecutive games, the 31-year-old catcher has been able to notch in a homer, tying former Royals All-Star Mike Sweeny — who maintained the feat in 2002 — for the most consecutive games with a home run.
“Just as dangerous of a hitter you’re going to see for a period of time here,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said following Monday’s game where Pérez clobbered a homer. “One of the best runs I’ve ever seen … he’s seeing the ball so well and executing pitches from all over the zone.”
After overcoming injuries — including three IL stints since 2019 — Pérez has persevered with ease and with his infectious personality intact. Even after taking three out of four games in Seattle, the Royals are 16 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central standings. With the departure of power hitter Jorge Soler to the Atlanta Braves during the trade deadline period, Pérez remains the Royals’ most steady and reliable bat.
In 2021, Pérez has been able to produce a career-high 38 home runs and 94 RBI in 129 games.
The hushed tones of Pérez’s MVP consideration can be overcome with a late-season surge that is reminiscent of this past week. With Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. steering the MVP conversation throughout the season, Pérez’s power streak can fit him in between the two candidates with the potential of overthrowing the competition.
“It’s amazing. Every time I hit a homer, my mom makes me cry because she calls me, tells me ‘Congratulations, I love you,’ and she starts crying,” Pérez said with adamant glee. “I never expected that, where I coming from, where I grow up, as a part of Valencia. I never expect anything that happens to me right now in my life. All I can say now is ‘thank God’ and my mom for all the sacrifices she made, she did it, to make the person that I am right now.”
