Perez feeling great, hopes to return Sunday

KANSAS CITY -- Royals catcher Salvador Perez continued to feel good in his recovery from a low-grade concussion sustained last Saturday in New York.

"They're letting me go outside today. I think I'm going to catch a bullpen [session]," Perez said on Friday afternoon. "I might hit in the cage -- maybe. We'll see."

Manager Ned Yost said later that Perez did both and he came out just fine.

In the meantime, George Kottaras and recently recalled Brett Hayes are sharing the catching duties.

"They've done a great job." Yost said. "They really have, and that is always your fear, because he is a big part of our club. But to continue moving forward without him -- and thank God it's only going to be a week or a little bit longer -- they've done a great job holding it down until Sal can get back."

Perez could be eligible to return Sunday against the Red Sox, but he needs to pass an ImPACT concussion test, a necessary step to return to playing.

"He's got to be right on it," Yost said. "There ain't no ifs, ands or wobbles or anything. He's got to be back to being normal. And if he's normal, I ain't sitting him."