KANSAS CITY -- Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez went through a full workout on the field Monday and remains confident he'll return on the low end of the four-to-six week timeframe laid out for him after he suffered a sprained left knee two days before the March 29 regular-season opener.
"I feel pretty good," Perez said. "Starting to feel a lot better. I don't think it's going to take the time that people said as soon as it happened. It's going to be sooner."
Perez ran the bases, threw from home to second and took batting practice. The plan calls for him to continue that schedule over the next two days.
Manager Ned Yost has been encouraged by Perez's progress.
"The initial timeline was four to six weeks, and I think it's going to be closer to the four than the six," Yost said. "We evaluate every day."
Injury updates
• Outfielder Alex Gordon was not in the lineup Monday due to left groin stiffness, and Yost said he may give Gordon an additional day of rest Tuesday.
"It might be a day or two with Alex," Yost said.
• Yost said right-hander Nate Karns, who has been on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation, may throw a simulated game Tuesday.
"Throw to some hitters and see where he is," Yost said.