KANSAS CITY – With one scorching swing Monday, Salvador Perez launched himself into more history, tying a Kauffman Stadium record and passing Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez on two different lists that further make Perez’s case for Cooperstown once his career is over.
With the Royals down one run in the bottom of the sixth of their eventual 4-3 series-opening loss to the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium, Perez jumped on a first-pitch sinker from starter Will Warren, sending it a Statcast-projected 422 feet into the left-center-field seats.
It was a massive swing for the Royals’ captain, his ninth homer of the season and his 136th at Kauffman Stadium, matching George Brett for the most in the 54-year history of this ballpark.
It was also Perez’s 312th career home run – now just five shy of matching Brett for the all-time franchise record.
With those 312 career home runs, Perez broke a tie with Rodríguez on two lists:
• Most home runs by a Latin American-born primary catcher (min. 50% games at catcher) in MLB history, more than Rodríguez (311), Jorge Posada (275), Javy Lopez (260) and Benito Santiago (217).
• Seventh-most home runs by a primary catcher in MLB history, with Perez now 12 homers away from matching Lance Parrish and Gary Carter for fifth most. Mike Piazza’s 427 homers top that list.
“That’s why I believe in the guy,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Look at what he’s doing. He’s done it for a lot longer than I’ve been here. He doesn’t hang his head when things aren’t going his way. He doesn’t pout. He keeps working.
“To tie George in anything is remarkable. The [record] with Pudge, that’s another Hall of Famer. So he keeps racking these things up, but more so than anything, he’s trying to help us win games. And he can still do it.”
Of course, that was the problem with Monday’s game: The fact that Perez’s milestone day was muted by the Royals’ loss. It’s clear these moments mean a lot to the 36-year-old Perez on the tail end of what has been an exceptional 15-year career so far.
Winning matters more.
“Better when we win,” Perez said. “… It’s good to tie a Hall of Famer like George Brett. It feels pretty good. But I would rather win.”
The Royals were closer than ever to that win thanks to Perez’s game-tying homer and Bobby Witt Jr.’s go-ahead homer in the eighth inning. Some missed opportunities loomed large looking back, including not scoring more than one run in the second despite three walks against Warren, but the Royals had a one-run lead entering the ninth.
Closer Lucas Erceg threw 32 pitches and allowed three runs on Sunday, but Quatraro had no hesitation using him on Monday. Erceg said he didn’t have any hesitation about his availability, either.
“No. Nope,” Erceg said. “Just ready to do my job today, and I didn’t do it.”
Witt couldn’t get a play on a short pop-up off Paul Goldschmidt's shattered bat in no-man’s land on the infield grass. Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled on a ball that just missed Perez’s glove at first base. A slider to Anthony Volpe caught the zone instead of the dirt for a two-run go-ahead single.
And the Royals’ regular-season losing streak to the Yankees stretched to 11 games – dating back to Sept. 11, 2024.
“You can call it whatever you want,” Erceg said. “We lost today. Tarnished a good outing from [starter Michael] Wacha. Game-tying homer from Salvy and a go-ahead homer from Bobby. It’s all washed away.”
When Perez was informed of passing Rodríguez on the two different home run lists, the Royals’ loss seemed to sting even more.
“It’s pretty cool,” Perez said. “Oh my God, I hoped we [had] won today to celebrate that. … It’s good when they announce your name around a Hall of Famer. That’s one of the goals. If you don’t think that way, you’re in the wrong sport. I’m going to continue to do my job. Prepare myself every day and work hard and see what happens.”
Perez is 7-for-24 (.292) on this homestand so far with two homers and five RBIs, and he has recorded five multi-hit efforts in his past 13 games since May 12. His nine home runs in 52 games this year are well ahead of his four through 52 games in 2025, a season in which he finished with 30 homers.
It has been a very slow start for the veteran catcher, but those could be signs of heating up. And the Royals will be better for it if it continues.
“He’s starting to get hot,” Witt said. “It’s fun to watch him when he’s going.”