Why Salvador Perez needs less time catching for KC Royals

Few players are untouchable from fan critique when a club is struggling, not even Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez. The veteran catcher is the last remaining link to Kansas City’s glory days in 2014 and 2015, and he helped carry the fanbase through the darkness that followed. His record-breaking 2021 season isn’t that far in the rearview, but with how much the roster—and the franchise—has changed since then, it feels like a lifetime ago.

Still, after a resurgent 2024, Perez has left plenty to be desired this season. Did last year’s unexpected bounce-back set the bar too high? Maybe. In 2023, he posted the first negative WAR of his career and a career-worst 86 wRC+ over 140 games. But his All-Star campaign in 2024—his best season since 2013—made it feel like the Venezuelan’s trademark energy had turned back the clock. Now, at 35, he looks his age—both at the plate and behind it. And with free agency looming, that’s not an encouraging sign.

But fans can worry about Perez’s long-term future when the offseason arrives. For now, he remains a lineup staple, appearing in 70 of the Royals’ first 74 games. The numbers, however, haven’t been kind. A -0.1 fWAR puts him on pace for the worst season of his career. His 82 wRC+ would be another career low. He’s posted negative Outs Above Average at first base after excelling there last season, and he continues to rank among the league’s weaker pitch framers this decade. This is simply who Salvy is right now.

That said, it’s worth considering whether less time behind the plate could help extend the production—or even the career—of the best catcher in franchise history. Here are two surface-level reasons Kansas City should give serious thought to shifting Perez to designated hitter, first base, or giving him more consistent rest.

Salvador Perez isn't as spry as he once was, and his blocking painfully shows that.

It might sound like nitpicking, but there have been too many moments this season where Perez’s age is clearly showing behind the plate. It’s not about effort or desire—he’s never lacked that. It’s about physical limitations. Years of wear and tear have taken a toll, and his injury history backs that up. Perez struggles to move laterally to block pitches, and the eye test alone is concerning. But the underlying numbers make it look even worse.

Baseball Savant has steadily expanded its defensive metrics, and several newer ones now measure a catcher’s ability to prevent wild pitches and passed balls. Using Statcast inputs, each pitch is assigned a probability of being blocked, and from that, catchers are graded with a stat called Blocks Above Average (BAA)—essentially the blocking version of Outs Above Average. Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk leads all qualified catchers with a +10 BAA, followed closely by Detroit’s Dillon Dingler at +9. But you’ll have to scroll a while to find Salvador Perez. He ranks dead last among qualified catchers with a -11 BAA, despite ranking just 24th in total block opportunities.

There’s a significant gap between Perez and the next-worst catcher in BAA—a full three-step difference, making it far from close. Most of his blocking struggles come on pitches to his right, especially those breaking into the left-handed batter’s box. Watch the tape: Perez simply doesn’t have the quickness to slide and smother the ball the way backup Freddy Fermin does. That game-changing wild pitch against the Tigers in June? Just one of many costly examples from 2025 alone.

Salvador Perez produces at the plate best as a designated hitter, not a catcher.

It feels a bit sacrilegious to write this on the heels of Perez’s big night against the Rangers on June 17. He powered the Royals to a series-opening win with two homers and four RBI—a much-needed jolt for both him and a lineup that’s struggled to score all season. It was a refreshing reminder of what Perez can still do at the plate. But zoom out, and the trend is clear: in 2025, Perez has been most effective when batting as a designated hitter.

Here are Salvy's numbers, at different defensive positions:

Is Perez suddenly a world-beater just because he’s only focused on hitting? No—but he’s been league average at the plate as a DH, and that’s a big step up from what he’s shown for most of 2025. Getting him back to baseline production, instead of well below it, would go a long way toward rebuilding both his confidence and the fanbase’s faith—even if he remains further down the lineup.

To be clear, manager Matt Quatraro doesn’t seem like the type to move Perez into a full-time DH role. But if he did, it’s not like the Royals would be bumping a more productive bat from the lineup. Vinnie Pasquantino can handle first base, and Jac Caglianone has the athleticism to hold down right field. Unlike teams juggling big bats with shaky gloves—think Marcell Ozuna in Atlanta or Joc Pederson in Texas—Kansas City doesn’t have that kind of roster crunch right now.

Correlation isn’t always causation—but in this case, the splits are too compelling to ignore. As the Royals search for answers from within, giving Perez more time at designated hitter feels less like a gamble and more like a logical next step.