At long last, Salvy a champion in likely final World Baseball Classic

MIAMI – For 17 years, Venezuela, one of the best countries at producing big league ballplayers, had failed to even reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals. That meant Salvador Perez hadn’t either. The Royals catcher has lined up for his country at every WBC since 2013, when he was just 23 years old, and every time he went home with a loss.

Now 36 and with a big league career that has people talking about a place in Cooperstown when his playing days are done, Perez – the captain for his nation – led Venezuela to its first World Baseball Classic in what is likely his final tournament.

“I'm super happy, and now I feel like I can retire,” Perez said on Tuesday night after the 3-2 victory against the United States. “I'm super excited, guys. I want to thank God first, for everything, my country, all the people that support us. I know there are people that didn't believe we'd win the WBC. But we did it, we did it. And we're No. 1.”

“I told [Perez] and the team that this could be his last Classic,” manager Omar López said before the game. “In the previous Classic, it was Miguel [Cabrera’s] last Classic. And to me, this was another challenge, to take Venezuela as high as possible in 2023 with Miguel Cabrera as the captain. Now I have this opportunity. And I said, ‘Damn. This is Salvador's time,' and this is a very special moment for him to help Venezuela to be champion and say, well, I can retire now. I can go home. I did what I could for Venezuela."

Though his performance at the plate didn’t match what he did in 2023 when he earned a place on the all-tournament team after hitting .429 with a home run and six RBIs, Perez still proved his worth in each and every game. He managed a pitching staff that eliminated Japan in the quarterfinals – the first time that the Samurais had failed to reach the semifinal. He was back behind the dish on Tuesday night as he helped shut down a juggernaut of a USA lineup, working with Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw 4 1/3 one-hit innings.

“Don't get me wrong, USA had one of the best lineups in this WBC,” Perez said. “All those guys over there, they can hit. But I talked to Eduardo Rodriguez, ‘Hey, I know you go from 91 to 95, you make your pitch, we're gonna be fine.’ So, we had a pretty good plan last night, we talked a little bit about the game plan tonight, and he didn't [shake me off] one time. That was impressive. ... He made the pitch, and we did it.”

When José Buttó faced Aaron Judge in the sixth inning as the tying run, it was Perez who came out to calm him down. He did the same for young Cubs closer Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning to secure the win.

“He was trying to calm me down and just focus on making the right pitch, making the right decision, and we made it,” Palencia said.

It means just as much – perhaps more – to the people around Perez that he was the captain for its first World Baseball Classic championship.

“He's the captain here,” Palencia said. “I love him. We respect him so much.”

“Giving this joy to Salvador in his career is beautiful,” said Eugenio Suárez, the team’s ninth-inning hero who drove in the game-winning run. “[He has] so many achievements both as a baseball player and personally, and giving him that victory -- this championship – it's going to be beautiful for him, for his family. He deserves that for everything that he has done for the national team not because he's just the captain, but because he has experience. He gives good advice. He always motivates us to keep our heads up. That's very useful not only here in the Classic, but in our personal careers.”

Perez's Royals teammate Vinnie Pasquantino made it clear how much he values Perez, revealing how his role as Italy’s captain was inspired by the time they’ve spent together in Kansas City.

“I have an unbelievable leader to follow in Kansas City with Salvador Perez. He has set the tone for my career, and he's helped me so much,” Pasquantino said after Italy was eliminated on Monday night. “This is just the first time I've played without him at this level, and it was just one of those things where I just tried to pour into my teammates as much as I could, knowing that we had 10 to 14 days together, to try to make an impact as much as possible, to try to help them learn the game as much as possible because that's what I think being a good teammate is all about, is trying to help guys get better at the game.”

The victory on Tuesday night wasn’t just for Perez, nor for the 29 other members of the team. It’s for everyone back home.

"I know people are super happy right now in my country,” Perez said, needing a minute to collect himself. “Valencia, where I come from, all my family is there ... I had some family that never had the opportunity [to see me play]. Now when I played in the WBC, they had the opportunity to see me play.”

Perez has a title with his big league team, but now he has a title for his nation, too.

“The World Series, as you all know, is one of the most important championships in the Major Leagues, but when you fight for your country, that goes beyond. That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us. That's why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela.”

Before leaving the press room and rejoining his team to celebrate, Perez had one final message:

“Thank you, Venezuela. I love you,” he said. “Have a great night. We are having a great time here.”