-
Bradford Doolittle
multiple authors
New York– royal family captain salvador perez And manager Matt Quatraro announced they are back on the same page Sunday after the catcher’s social media posts late Saturday night created drama between the team and one of its most beloved players.
The separation began after Quatraro gave Pérez the Saturday off, when he told reporters that “Salvy is struggling a little bit. Just trying to give him a little mental relief.”
Perez objected to the comment after the royals lost 13-4 till New York YankeesPosting “I don’t need mental relief” on X. He also took to Instagram to post a link to a Spanish-language version of a story on the topic, and labeled it in English with the word “fake.”
“A little confused, you know. Not perfect communication,” Pérez said, smiling before Sunday’s game at Yankee Stadium. “I’m good. Family is good. Everyone is good.”
Quatraro said he and Pérez talk daily, and he said he informed Pérez on Friday night that the 16-year veteran would get rest on Saturday. Pérez, 36, is hitting .160 with three homers and six RBI this season.
Even after resting Saturday, Pérez has started 14 of Kansas City’s 21 games behind the plate.
“We’re in good shape,” Quatraro said. “The most important thing for me, from my standpoint, the mental relief was to let him know the night before that he wasn’t playing so we could take something off his plate, prepare our starting pitcher and game plan, the opposing starting pitcher.
“There’s a lot involved for a guy like him, and so I think that’s where it was misunderstood a little bit.”
Pérez, who has been the Royals’ starting catcher since 2011, is reluctant to leave the game, even given the physical toll associated with being a major league catcher. In other words, when he misses a game, “people pay attention.”
“[It’s] The wording,” Quatraro said. “Salvi and I have talked about it many times and we are on good terms. And I think some of that comes from, it’s a story when Salvi doesn’t play, right?”
Perez agreed.
He said, “People were surprised I didn’t play yesterday, but in the big leagues everyone has an off day.” “Playing 162 games is tough, especially behind home plate.”
Pérez said he has been dealing with hip pain – a problem he joked began “about seven years ago” – and hopes to log some DH duty occasionally to lighten the load.
The Royals optioned veteran Elias Diaz to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday to serve as the third catcher with Pérez. carter jensen. Diaz is scheduled to start Sunday as a catcher for the Royals in lefty cole ragans On the mound; Pérez has been selected as the designated hitter.
Both Perez and Quatraro said they have finished discussing the social media posts and all is well.
“We don’t have any problems,” Perez said. “Q and I, we talked and we’re good. We’ll be ready to win today.”
Royals opt for infielder tyler tolbert Moved to Omaha to make room for Diaz. Kansas City also chose the right option mitch spence He went to Omaha after pitching four relief innings during Saturday’s blowout. Righty Mason Black was recalled to replace Spence in Kansas City’s bullpen.
