KANSAS CITY -- For more than a decade, kids all across Kansas City have likely envisioned themselves as Royals star Salvador Perez while playing baseball in their backyard.
On Thursday, a group of kids didn’t have to imagine that Perez was in their backyard; he was there, in the flesh and ready to hit.
Perez was driving through a Kansas City neighborhood after hanging out with a friend on the Royals’ team off-day when he spotted 9-year-old Cameron Lard and his friends hitting a ball around. The nine-time All-Star pulled his car over and shouted toward the youngsters.
“I like to play a lot,” Perez said Friday afternoon before the Royals’ series opener against the Phillies. “So I turned around my car, got out and said, ‘Hey guys, can I play with you guys?’ And now it’s a highlight.”
The kids couldn’t believe their eyes. Cameron ran inside and cried out: “Salvy freaking Perez is in the backyard.”
Lesley Lard, Cameron’s mother, shared a video on social media of Perez stepping in to hit and joking with the boys who had backed up to the street that they were playing too deep in the “outfield.” Perez then smacked a line drive and chugged around the bases, laughing all the way.
“And by the way, they [struck] me out one time,” Perez admitted. “It’s hard to hit that ball. I didn’t know about the way it moves. It’s pretty cool.”
Pretty cool might be an understatement.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Lesley told The Kansas City Star. “We actually have a Kansas City Monarchs player that lives with a host family in our neighborhood as well. And he came and played with the boys a few weeks ago, and we all couldn’t believe that. Thought it was the coolest thing. And then this happens, and it’s just like, I don’t know, Salvy is just like, another level, you know?"
Lesley added: They’ll be telling everybody at school today. My son said that no one will believe him, so I sent the picture to his teacher, so that way she could show that it actually happened.”
Perez was the one to suggest that everyone gather for a group photo. Just a group of kids -- and a 34-year-old World Series-winning catcher -- enjoying the game of baseball together.
For Perez, playing with joy and sharing his love for the game is “what it’s all about,” he said.
“It’s about the kids,” Perez said. “It’s one of my favorite things to do. I love to play baseball, I love to play hard, I like to compete, but I’ve always said that we don’t know what these families and kids do to get a ticket to come see you. To have that kind of opportunity to play with them, it’s not going to happen very often. I think God put me in the right spot to make these kids happy for a little bit.”
Even on his off-day, Perez can’t stop thinking about baseball.
“I thought it was my off-day, but I played like three innings!” he said, laughing. “I’m kind of tired a little bit.”