Royals activate Perez; Tejada placed on disabled list

KANSAS CITY -- Catcher Salvador Perez is back and infielder Miguel Tejada is out as the Royals made a flurry of roster moves before Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Perez was reinstated from the seven-day concussion disabled list, and catcher Brett Hayes, who had replaced him, was designated for assignment.

Tejada, who sustained a right calf strain while diving for a ball at second base in Saturday night's 5-3 loss, was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Infielder Irving Falu was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his spot.

Starting pitcher Wade Davis was reinstated from the family emergency list after being called away by his stepbrother's death. Reliever Donnie Joseph, who arrived on Saturday and pitched in the game, was optioned back to Omaha.

Perez was jarred by a foul ball to the mask on Aug. 3 against the Mets and was disabled because of a low-grade concussion. He passed a series of tests this week, was cleared to return and was behind the plate and batting fifth on Sunday.

"He's a big part of our club," manager Ned Yost said. "He's, in my opinion, a Gold Glove defender back there, a middle-of-the-order hitter for our team and a leader on that field so it's big to have him back."

Yost wasn't overly concerned about a recurrence of injury to Perez.

"You can get hurt walking across the street so I don't waste a lot of energy being worried about him being hurt," Yost said.

Hayes, claimed off waivers from the Marlins last winter, started three games during his stay and went 3-for-11.

Tejada had become the regular second baseman while Chris Getz was on the disabled list with a left knee sprain. Tejada, 39, has proved durable, and he's hitting .288 in 53 games with three home runs and 20 RBIs. He came out of Saturday's game in the seventh inning.

Falu, 30, was hitting .264 with two homers and 28 RBIs for Omaha. He was in his 10th Minor League season last year when he got his first callup to the Majors, and he played in 24 games for Kansas City with a .341 average and seven RBIs.

His stay this time might be brief, because Getz, currently rehabbing with Omaha, can come off the disabled list on Monday.

"Getz is eligible to come off tomorrow so a lot of these proves are just temporary, getting us through time," Yost said. "He provides insurance for us today."

Davis left the team on Aug. 3 in New York when he learned his stepbrother was stricken in Florida and then passed away. Davis missed one start but is scheduled to face the Marlins on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.

"It's good to have Wade back. He's in good spirits," Yost said. "He missed everybody and everybody missed him, so it's good to have him back."

Joseph joined the Royals on Saturday from Omaha and threw two scoreless innings against the Red Sox, giving up a single and a walk with two strikeouts.