The Royals head into tonight’s series opener with the Reds sitting on a dismal 18-47 record. They’ve dropped six straight, and a surprising five-game win streak from the A’s has pulled Oakland within two games of K.C. in the race to the bottom of the league.
Kansas City is clearly ticketed for another summer as a deadline seller. While the Royals have a few interesting trade chips who seem likely to change uniforms within the next two months, franchise backstop Salvador Perez is not among them. Royals general manager J.J. Picollo went on record to quash speculation about a Perez deal, saying the organization doesn’t “have any intention of trading Salvy and it’s not something we are looking to do” (link via Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star).
Last week, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported the Royals were open to packaging other veteran players in trade discussions involving reliever Aroldis Chapman. That fueled some loose speculation about Perez’s potential involvement, though that always seemed far-fetched for myriad reasons. Picollo stated that another team reached out to inquire about the backstop’s availability but downplayed the importance of that (via Anne Rogers of MLB.com).
Even if the front office had a desire to move Perez, they’d face a number of hurdles. Foremost is his full no-trade protection as a 10-and-5 player (one with ten years of MLB service, the past five of which have come with his current team). “He completely controls the destiny and he has told us over and over again he wants to be a Royal his whole career,” the GM said.
Perez could kill any trade talks from the get-go. Even if he reconsidered moving on from the only franchise he’s ever known, a deadline trade would be tough to engineer. Significant midseason deals for catchers are rare, with teams often apprehensive about an incoming backstop adjusting to an unfamiliar pitching staff on the fly.
There’d also be a noteworthy financial component to any Perez trade. He’s playing this season on a $20MM salary. He’ll take home a matching figure next year and is guaranteed $22MM for 2025. There’s also a $2MM buyout on a $13.5MM club option covering the ’26 campaign. All told, Perez would have a little under $54MM in guaranteed money still remaining on the deal at the deadline.
That’s a hefty figure for another club to take on midseason. Trades of players with significant contracts can be easier to put together over the offseason, when clubs have greater budgetary flexibility and/or more time to ship out money in other deals. Kansas City would likely have had to eat some of that money to facilitate a trade. The front office probably isn’t eager about doing so considering Perez’s importance to the franchise as a seven-time All-Star and anchor of their 2015 World Series club.
To his credit, the 33-year-old has continued to produce offensively even as the lineup around him has floundered. Perez is hitting .273/.308/.502 through 247 trips to the plate. His 13 home runs are the most in the majors for a catcher. As has been the case throughout his career, Perez has gotten below-average marks for his pitch framing from public metrics. He’s clearly respected for his unquantifiable work with the pitching staff, however, and the Royals have kept him behind the plate while primarily moving MJ Melendez to the corner outfield.
Even with Perez all but a lock to stick in Kansas City past August 1, Picollo and his staff should be able to make some moves. Chapman is as likely as anyone in the sport to be traded, perhaps early in deadline season. Closer Scott Barlow, arbitration-eligible through 2024, could be on the move. Hard-throwing righty Josh Staumont could intrigue some clubs if healthy (he’s currently out with a neck strain), while players like Nicky Lopez and Matt Duffy might have modest appeal to teams trying to add a depth infielder.
lopez will get looked at by the astros and other IF needy teams, just about any reliever could get contenders to call… piccolo needs to swing some good return for what little value he inherited
Glad to hear it. Maybe the White Sox can get someone to take Grandal off their hands.
That has Angels written all over it
That just means they’re not giving him away unless they get an excellent haul in return.
They’ll prob trade him after he’s declined like merrifield.
Merrifield didn’t have a NTC.
Yeah. Don’t know that he wouldn’t be happy to waive that for a decent opp. Doesn’t really matter though because the royals will keep him until he provides them no trade value……
He has said on multiple occasions that he won’t waive it and it was obvious 6 years ago that the Royals were staring a long rebuild in the face.
I mean sure, yeah it’s not gonna happen. Things change though. People’s feelings do after going through it. I don’t see KC exiting a rebuild anytime soon. I’m sure he didn’t expect it to take this long & still not look like a serious contender anytime soon.
All prob a moot point anyways. Royals & Rockies will behave like royals and Rockies.
I mean this is more now a discussion as to how bad the Royals farm is for a bad team….. Jeesh. They’re not ending a rebuild anytime soon.
Good for them, sometimes you just gotta keep your franchise icons
Like George Brett. And suffered for 20+ more years after that.
Yup, just like they kept Merrifield, until he lost most of his value.
The one consistent thing in KC these days. He needs to retire as a Royal – one team. At least they have that going for them.
Picollo’s mom was my teacher in HS.
But is Goku available?
Is Goku a Roku that returns search results to FAQs
He’s a 33 yr old 255lb catcher with 3.5 years left on his deal. This won’t end well
Sometimes who just need a franchise player especially during the dark years. Sal is the heart and soul of KC baseball for an entire generation of fans. He is what Jeter is to Yankees, Votto to the Reds, or Helton to the Rockies. He IS Royals baseball. His bat is also strong enough that DHing him isn’t outrageous if he needs moved off catching. But his reputation with the staff, durability, and his value as a big bat catcher should give him plenty of ways to add value even as he ages.
Never expected Perez to be made available, but anyone who would think his salary would be a problem, hasn’t looked at who teams have catching for them. Given the scarcity at the position, a good hitting, and good defensive catcher has value. Framing numbers are meaningless compared to other skills that Catchers need, and Perez excells at.
And everyone loves a redass to pick fights over perceived slights and then not run out ground balls
Perez is the Royals Yadier Molina. He is the face of the franchise and the first icon this team has had since George Brett. Might as well let him play out his career in KC
They should trade him. They waited far too long on Merrifield, and got nothing in return. In two years, In another year, he might well lose most of his value.
They’ve dropped six straight, and a surprising five-game win streak from the A’s has pulled Oakland within two games of K.C.
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Wait, didn’t Eckersley compliment the Royals development while criticizing the Pirates “hodgepodge of nothingness.”?
All those Marlins fans wanting Salvy… It is not going to happen.
But Grandal shouldn’t be difficult to get. At this point, almost any catcher is better than Stallings.
The royals could get a nice haul for Salvy and possibly get back to being relevant maybe a bit sooner, but going with your heart and not thinking long term isnt the best way to run a business, hence the royals stink.
And it doesn’t matter if the Royals want to trade him or him. They have no control over being able to control him!
Stupid post….They have never had any intensional of trading Perez he loves Kansas City!