Royals' Salvador Perez's Dreadful Start Could Be Matter Of Luck

The Kansas City Royals own a record of 8-8 after salvaging their series finale against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday with a 4-2 win. The team sits in third place in the American League Central division, 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers.

The team still has a great chance to reach the postseason for a second straight year. However, certain members of the roster are struggling to start the 2025 season, most notably on the offensive side.

FanSided's Jacob Milham listed three hitters that have been very unlucky to start the year, and among them was star catcher Salvador Perez.

"It looked like Kansas City's captain defied Father Time in 2024, but the initial slash line resembles his dreadful 2023 performance more than last season. His .211/.262/.298 line and .254 wOBA would all be career-worst marks if the season ended today, marred with a significant decline in power at the plate," Milham writes.

"If there is any silver lining in all this, the veteran catcher should be performing much better. His .371 xwOBA is his best mark since his historic 2021 season and tied for the second-highest in his career."

Perez hit .271 last season with 27 home runs and 104 RBI. He also had a .786 OPS in 590 at-bats. However, 2025 appears to be a bit of a step back for the slugger.

The 34-year-old has a poor .606 OPS to start the year. It will be interesting to see if he can regain his 2024 form soon and help the Royals get going.

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