Salvador Pérez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salvador Pérez |
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Pérez with the Kansas City Royals in 2015
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| Kansas City Royals – No. 13 | |||
| Catcher / First baseman | |||
| Born: May 10, 1990 Valencia, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| August 10, 2011, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .267 | ||
| Hits | 1,571 | ||
| Home runs | 273 | ||
| Runs batted in | 916 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
MLB records
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Salvador Johan Pérez Díaz (born May 10, 1990) is a professional baseball player. He is a catcher and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball (MLB). People often call him "El Niño" or "Salvy".
Salvador is a nine-time MLB All-Star. He has won the Gold Glove Award five times for his great defense. He also won the Silver Slugger Award five times for his hitting. In 2015, he was named the World Series MVP when the Royals won the 2015 World Series. He also plays for the Venezuelan national team.
For most of his career, Pérez played catcher. Since 2023, he has also spent a lot of time at first base. In 2024, he played first base in 49 games. This change helps his knees, which have been used a lot from catching for over ten years.
Pérez holds an MLB record for catchers. In 2021, he hit 48 home runs. This broke the old record of 45 home runs set by Johnny Bench in 1970.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Salvador Pérez was born in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. His mother, Yilda Díaz, raised him after his father left when he was four. At age eight, they moved to Valencia to live with his grandmother. His mother worked hard, selling homemade cakes and lasagna to support them.
To keep Salvador busy, his mother enrolled him in a baseball school. He was good at throwing, catching, and hitting even at age six. He played as a pitcher and shortstop in tournaments. When he was eight, he decided he wanted to be a catcher. By 14, he was set on playing catcher professionally. He even played with and against Jose Altuve, another future MLB star, when they were boys.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Kansas City Royals signed Pérez when he was 16 years old. He started his minor league career in 2007. He played for different teams like the Burlington Royals and Idaho Falls Chukars. In 2010, he moved up to the Wilmington Blue Rocks. In 2011, he was promoted again to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Omaha Storm Chasers.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
First Years (2011-2012)
Pérez joined the MLB for the first time on August 10, 2011. He played against the Tampa Bay Rays. In his first game, he showed off his skills by picking off two runners. He also got his first RBI and first hit. Later that month, he hit his first MLB home run. In his first year, he played 39 games and had a batting average of .331.
In February 2012, Pérez signed a five-year contract extension. This deal kept him with the Royals until 2019. Before the 2012 season, he hurt his left knee during spring training. He returned to play on July 2. In 79 games that year, he hit 11 home runs.
Becoming an All-Star (2013-2014)
On July 16, 2013, Pérez was the catcher for Mariano Rivera in his last All-Star Game. After the season, Pérez won his first Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense. He played 138 games and hit 13 home runs.
In 2014, Pérez started more games than any other catcher in MLB. He played 150 games, hitting 17 home runs. In the 2014 American League Wild Card Game, Pérez hit the winning single in the 12th inning. This helped the Royals beat the Oakland A's 9-8.
In the 2014 World Series, Pérez hit a home run against Madison Bumgarner. This was the only run Bumgarner gave up in five World Series games. The Royals lost the series to the San Francisco Giants.
World Series Champion (2015)
In 2015, fans voted Pérez to start in the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. This was his third All-Star appearance.
Pérez played a big part in the 2015 World Series. He batted .364 as the Royals won in five games. In the final game, Pérez hit a single in the 12th inning. This led to the winning run for the Royals. The Royals won 7-2, becoming the 2015 World Series Champions. Pérez was named the World Series MVP. He was the first catcher since 1992 to win this award.
In 2015, he played 142 games, hitting 21 home runs. He also won his third straight Gold Glove Award.
Continued Success (2016-2018)
On March 1, 2016, Pérez signed another five-year contract. He was named the starting catcher for the American League in his fifth All-Star Game. He finished 2016 with 22 home runs, the most for an American League catcher. He also won his first Silver Slugger Award. On November 8, he won his fourth straight Gold Glove Award.
On June 21, 2017, Pérez hit his first career grand slam. He played 139 games that year, hitting 27 home runs.
In March 2018, Pérez hurt his left knee. He returned to play on April 24. On his 28th birthday, May 10, he hit a grand slam. He was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. On September 14, he hit his second grand slam of the season. He finished 2018 with 27 home runs. He also won his fifth Gold Glove and second Silver Slugger award.
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Overcoming Injuries (2019-2022)
In February 2019, Pérez hurt his right elbow. An MRI showed a partial tear in a ligament. On March 6, he had Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2019 season.
In the shortened 2020 season, Pérez played in 37 games. He had some eye problems and was on the injured list. When he returned, he batted .333 with 11 home runs. He won his third Silver Slugger award.
On March 21, 2021, Pérez signed a large four-year contract extension. This kept him with the Royals until 2025. On April 21, he hit a walk-off single to win a game. On July 11, he took part in the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby. He kept hitting home runs, breaking records. On August 29, he hit his 38th home run, setting a new record for American League catchers. On September 20, he hit his 46th home run, breaking Johnny Bench's record for primary catchers. He finished the season with 48 home runs, tying for the most in MLB. He also led the league with 121 RBIs. He won his fourth Silver Slugger award.
In May 2022, Pérez sprained his left thumb. In June, he had surgery on his thumb. He returned to play on July 29. He played 114 games that year, hitting 23 home runs.
Team Captain and Milestones (2023-2024)
On March 30, 2023, Pérez was named the Royals' captain. He was the fourth Royals player to receive this honor. In 2023, he batted .255 with 19 home runs.
On April 13, 2024, Pérez hit his 250th career home run. He became the 12th primary catcher in history to reach this milestone. On July 7, 2024, he got his 1,500th base hit. He finished the season with 27 home runs and 104 RBIs.
Life Off the Field
During the offseason, Pérez lives in his hometown in Venezuela. He lives with his wife, Maria Gabriela, and their children, Salvador Jr., Johan, and Paulina. On January 24, 2020, Pérez became a U.S. citizen.
Pérez is known for wearing perfume during games. In 2013, a teammate sprayed him with perfume, saying he would get four hits. This came true! Pérez kept wearing perfume as a good-luck charm. He later switched to different colognes.
Fans love Pérez for his positive attitude. He often posts funny videos on social media. He is also famous for giving "Salvy Splashes." This is when he sprays teammates with Gatorade during TV interviews after home wins.
Images for kids
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Pérez with the Kansas City Royals in 2015
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Pérez (right) and Ervin Santana with the Kansas City Royals in 2013
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Pérez batting in 2015 American League Division Series
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Perez at the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
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Perez in 2023
See also
In Spanish: Salvador Pérez para niños
- Kansas City Royals award winners and league leaders
- List of Kansas City Royals team records
- List of Major League Baseball career games played as a catcher leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
