The Royals expect to retain longtime catcher and team captain Salvador Perez for the 2026 season. “I think it’s safe to say that one way or another, Salvy will be in a Royals uniform in ‘26,” general manager J.J. Picollo told reporters (including Jaylon Thompson of The Kansas City Star). “What we do beyond that is still to be determined. But there are some things that we still need to work through and talk about.”
The simplest path would be for the team to exercise their $13.5MM option for next season. Picollo didn’t commit to that course of action, leaving open the possibility of reworking the deal as part of an extension. Speculatively, they could try to hammer out a new contract that lowers next season’s salary while locking in some guaranteed money for Perez during his age-37 campaign in 2027. Picollo said the sides have “already started those discussions” about potentially reworking the deal (link via The Associated Press).
Perez, 35, has played all 15 of his big-league seasons with Kansas City and is a franchise icon. He currently ranks 7th in franchise history in games played with 1,707, 6th in hits with 1,712, 2nd in home runs with 303, and 2nd in RBI with 1,016. Altogether, he has been worth 35.5 bWAR in his career, good for 4th in Royals history among position players behind George Brett, Amos Otis, and Willie Wilson. He has been named an All-Star nine times while winning five Gold Gloves and finishing 7th in AL MVP voting in 2021 on the back of a 48-homer campaign.
His 2025 offensive numbers were largely in line with his career output. In 155 games, Perez batted .236/.284/.446 with 30 home runs and 100 RBI. His walk rate of 4.4% was slightly lower than last year’s 6.7% mark, while his strikeout rate of 19.5% was roughly the same. His 95 wRC+ was close to average overall but above average for his position, placing 7th among qualified catchers between William Contreras and J.T. Realmuto. All told, his offensive contributions were valued at 1.6 bWAR.
His defensive numbers were a different story. Continuing a trend from recent seasons, Perez split time behind the plate and at first base in 2025. In 92 games behind the plate, he was valued at -15 DRS, which ranked last among catchers with at least 500 innings at the position (Perez played 761 2/3 innings there). Statcast still thinks highly of Perez’s pop time, which ranks in the 68th percentile, but his arm strength and framing rank in the 2nd and 15th percentiles, respectively. He graded at -3 DRS and committed one error in 30 games at first base.
Defensive woes aside, Perez is widely valued in the Royals clubhouse for his veteran presence and leadership. He is the last remaining active player from the 2015 club that won the World Series (in which he was the Series MVP), and he was named team captain in 2023. He also works well as a mentor to the team’s young pitchers and catchers, including Carter Jensen, who rates as the Royals’ No. 2 prospect and the No. 66 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com.
Jensen made his big-league debut in 2025 and will compete for a roster spot next year, which may allow Perez to spend more time at first base and DH. Kansas City traded away longtime backup Freddy Fermin at the deadline. Luke Maile is an impending free agent, which will leave Perez (assuming some kind of contract is worked out) and Jensen as the only two catchers on the 40-man roster going into the offseason.
Whether they simply pick up his club option or sign him to a new deal, the Royals are making sure their franchise player stays on as an elder statesman for an upstart roster looking to compete in 2026. The club finished with an 82-80 record in 2025, good for 3rd place in the AL Central. Their team ERA of 3.76 ranked 6th in the majors thanks to strong seasons from Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, and Noah Cameron. Ace Cole Ragans missed time due to injury but will return in 2026 with a full offseason to rest and get back into form. On the offensive side, Kansas City ranked 22nd in the league with a team wRC+ of 93, although they have two highly valuable players in Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia to build around. If they can find some complementary pieces around those two and Perez while maintaining their pitching strength, the club may be a dark horse candidate to win the AL Central next year.
HOFer?
300 homers
`1,000 rbi
9 time all star
5 gold gloves
5 silver slugger
world series champ
Without question a hall of famer. Especially if Joe Mauer got in.
I think saying without a question is a bit of overexaggration. Both Brian McCann and Jorge Posada’s numbers were not that much worse than Perez’s, and neither didn’t even get enough votes to remain on the ballot for a second season.
If you ask me, it’s going to come down to how voters who take a more modern look at the game vs voters who take a more traditional look at the game. Ones who look at it from a modern standpoint are going to see the fact he was a good power hitter, especially for a catcher. But a lot of his awards are undeserved and based more on reputation rather than true performance. Some of his All-Star appearances were also on some bad Royals teams. Framing, whether you like it or not, is going to be taken into account by these voters, and they’ll definitley hold that against Perez.
Voters who base it on a more traditional basis are going to see the counting stats and awards. Over 300 home runs, will probably finish close to 2000 hits, a trophy case full of awards. Outstanding reputation with pitchers across the years for the Royals.
I don’t think it’s a Mauer situation either. He checked boxes for both traditional and modern voters. Over 2000 hits, and also over 50 bWAR. Five Silver Sluggers, but all in years where Mauer put up a 130 or better wRC+ and hit over .300. An MVP award, but in a year where he led MLB in all three triple-slash stats, OPS/OPS+, wRC+, and had the second most fWAR.
It’s a really interesting case. I could totally see him being a one-and-done, but I could also see him making it first ballot. Personally, I think he’ll end up as a guy who lingers on the ballot all ten years. Fewer voters are going to have a more traditional way of evaluating who to vote for by the time he retires and is eligible, but there are definitley going to be enough to keep him around.
Not a chance unless he has another huge season or two. He’ll stay on the ballot for a while, perhaps all 10 years, but he just wasn’t good enough to stand with the other catchers in the hall.
Lemme spell this out more.
Mike Piazza–a man who was considered the face of Bat-Only Catching–had -64 career fielding runs. Salvy is at -86 runs and counting.
Perez has one singular season where his offense was on par with peak Piazza. It was 2020. That hardly counts.
Perez’s second-best hitting season was his 48-homer 2021. Piazza had *eleven* better batting seasons by wRC+.
Perez has 18.9 fWAR. That is 102 on the All-Time catchers list. Sean Murphy is nipping at his heels. Should Sean Murphy be in the Hall of Fame?
Slippery slope. If Perez is eligible, then Munson has to get in, and no one hates the Yankees more than me.
Munson probably should be in. As far as catchers go he was pretty damn good. I also think Sal is more than deserving.
youtube.com/watch?v=iwaHJk7WHIs
absolutely
The 35.5 WAR doesn’t jump off the page especially when guys tend to have close to 60… but then you think about who has been better or more consistent at C in the 2010s and 2020s and there aren’t many names in the conversation. Firmly one of the top 5 players at his position for over a decade and that makes his case very interesting.
I’m in awe he only has 1700 hits. I guess the short 2020 and missing the previous year hurt his counting stats. If he gets to 2k he might get in
ROYAL FOR LIFE……….THERE IS NO DOUBT !
kentonwebb l want to say, just pick up the option , then worry about 2027 later. Young catchers are coming up, and I think his numbers will be similar to Joe Mauer’s
Really strange comparison. Joe Mauer was a contact hitter with a career .306 batting average and only hit 143 hrs. In his final season he hit .282/.351/.379 with a wRC+ of 100.
Salvy is a career .264 hitter with 303 homers last year he hit .236/.284/.446 with a wRC+ of 95.
The only thing similar about these two is they are both catchers, otherwise two completely different players
Joe Mauer exclusively played 1st base the last 5 years of his career and only batted .278 during those last 5 years!!
Joe Mauer exclusively played 1st base the last 5 years of his career and only batted .278 during those last 5 years!! Also Perez has hit 151 HR in the last 5 years which is 8 more than Mauer hit in a 15 year career!!
Also Perez has 151 HR in the last 5 years, which is 8 more than Mauer had in a 15 year career.
Perhaps he meant the “young catchers” that are coming up.
Mauer was a far and away better hitter than Perez. Joe Mauer was one of the best pure hitters in the league regardless of position for a long time.
Perez isn’t an automatic case for me at all. I think we’ll probably look back and realize that Realmuto was undervalued in this area. He has a higher career WAR than Perez but I don’t see anyone making a HOF argument there.
Realmuto would be my pick.
yes I referred to the younger guys coming up from the minors. I don’t know how much gas Salvy has in the tank. I only meant that you don’t need Piazza numbers to get in
I wonder if Raleigh needs to make amends with Salvy for breaking his homerun record for a catcher. That wasn’t a very polite thing to do to an elder.
Maybe $10M/year over 2 years? As a fan of his, I’d love to say 3 years, but 2 might be more realistic.
He can do better than that. Nevermind I read that as $5/year. $10/year is fine they may be able to go $18/2.
Yikes. MJ Melendez had five hits in the majors this year. Hope Perez’ knees hold up.
MJ’s time is up. And he long hasn’t been a catcher. Make sure you look at Carter Jensen’s stats.
I think it’s safe to say that Salvador Perez will only ever play for the Royals.
Would love to seem him continue but the royals will prob need him to take a pay cut. His age and position are tough to age with and he’s already “old” in baseball terms. In reality, the royals need him to commit to what he’s expected to make next year over 2 years. And maybe add a 3 year at a similar AAV to entice him. But I don’t think he accepts that. He’s more realistically going to be will to sign a 2 year extension 10 mil a year. And if ur the royals that’s prob fine. Still a bit risky but fine
With Jensen doing great in his call-up I think Perez only makes about 80-90 starts at catcher next year with the rest at DH/1B. I see 2 more years for Perez with similar numbers .230-20hr-80rbi. Not bad if he does 2 yrs/25 million total.
I hate replying when I only see part of what I am typing. The only reason I referred to Mauer was to point out that you don’t need Piazza numbers to get in HOF.