KANSAS CITY – The Royals had a new face run their daily baserunning meeting Sunday morning.
Salvador Perez stood up and took the reins from first base coach Damon Hollins in what one player called the “most electric meeting” he’s been a part of in his time with the club. Perez was impersonating the way Hollins usually runs that meeting, getting plenty of laughs from his teammates.
And then Perez went out to the game and stole a base.
Yes, you read that right. In the second inning of the Royals’ eventual 11-7 win over the Tigers at Kauffman Stadium, their 36-year-old slugger took off and slid safely into second base. It took seemingly everyone off guard. Tigers catcher Eduardo Valencia stood up to throw but never released the ball as shortstop Kevin McGonigle ran to the base and Perez slid.
It was Perez’s seventh career stolen base, his first since July 21, 2021 – and his first at Kauffman Stadium since July 20, 2017.
“That feels even better than a home run,” Perez said, laughing. “It took me five years to steal one bag.”
And it fired absolutely everyone up. The crowd reacted like Perez just hit a home run. Royals players and coaches were laughing and cheering. Vinnie Pasquantino banged on the dugout rail in celebration – “that was sick,” – Pasquantino said after the game – and catcher Luke Maile threw his hands in the air.
Perez got up, brushed the dirt off his uniform – and shook some out of his pants – and then flashed his Salvy smile back toward his teammates while doing the signature Jarrod Dyson speed gesture back toward the dugout.
That’s what speed do, right?
“The umpires told me, ‘Why did you slide that far from the base?’” Perez said. “I’m trying to get to the base quicker, I think!”
Perhaps it was no coincidence that the Royals put up five runs that inning in an offensive outburst that just kept responding to hand Kansas City its eighth consecutive win and cap a perfect 7-0 homestand with sweeps over the A’s and Tigers. The Royals have won nine of their last 10 and are 20-15 since the All-Star break. Their eight-game win streak is their longest since an eight-game run from May 17-22, 2024.
During this current streak, the Royals have averaged 6.3 runs per game while slashing .299/.380/.408 and have pitched to a 3.30 ERA. They’ve gotten everybody involved and witnessed unlikely heroes step up in new roles. Seven different players hit home runs (10 total) this series. Pasquantino has looked more like himself coming off the injured list this week, going 10-for-22 with four doubles and five RBIs. Perez went 9-for-25 with two doubles and six RBIs on the homestand. Kyle Isbel went 5-for-11 in the three weekend games with six RBIs and a 1.546 OPS. He’s driven in at least one run in five of his last six games.
They’ve emphasized doing the little things right and have found it’s contagious. Like their captain stealing bases.
“He’s willing to go run 100% and dive into second base, and they’re going to give it to him, like, heck yeah,” said John Rave, who hit a two-run homer as part of a four-run fifth inning. “It makes everyone think, ‘If he’s doing it, let’s go. Let’s step up the level of intensity, and whatever the job is, get it done.’”
This hot streak and the American League playoff picture has some thinking the Royals might be able to play their way back into the playoff hunt. For a 58-74 team, it’s pretty improbable… but not impossible. In these final 30 games, so many things must go right in a season that has seen so much go wrong. They’re still 7 1/2 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot with six teams in front of them, and four games separate them from the Tigers as the next closest team. If anything, it does make this upcoming road trip through Toronto and Cleveland, two teams squarely in the race, more interesting.
But the Royals just want to play well, and this past week has been a breath of fresh air for them after what has been a turbulent 2026. Momentum is hard to carry over day to day, let alone season to season. But why not try to ride it as long as possible?
“We’re just trying to do our job every day,” Perez said. “This game is too crazy. I’ve seen a lot of things in this game. You need to prepare day by day, one day at a time, and see what happens after the last game.”