Sep 20, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) slides into third base during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images William Purnell-Imagn Images

What Royals' Perfect Salvador Perez Contract Should Look Like

Originally posted on Kansas City Royals on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 11:14 AM ET

The Kansas City Royals have a bit of an awkward situation on their hands.

Catcher and captain Salvador Perez technically finished up his four-year extension this season, but the Royals have the right to tack on a $13.5 million club option for next season. And while they could do so and not think twice about it, Perez might not like the idea of playing on a one-year contract for the team he's been with his entire career.

General manager J.J. Picollo has already come out and said Perez will be in a Royals uniform this season, but hinted that a contract extension or restructure of some kind could be coming. So today, our job is to design a perfect new deal that benefits both the captain and the franchise.

Royals should offer Perez...

First, some factors to consider: Perez will be 36 in May, he's already caught 1,383 games in his career, and the Royals' top two prospects are catchers (including Carter Jensen, who impressed in his major league debut in September).

Moving forward, the Royals are probably looking at a timeshare of Perez behind the plate for somewhere between a third and half of their games, with that number only shrinking by the year.

Spotrac currently projects Perez's market value at two years, $28 million. That's not a bad starting point, but there's probably a way to make sure he feels a little more highly valued, considering he just made over $20 million per year for the last four years.

So here's our modest proposal: two years, $14 million per year, but with a $10 million mutual option for 2028 that vests into a $14 million player option if Perez hits a certain threshold (say, 125 games played in 2027, or 450 plate appearances).

Then, let's tack on a $6 million buyout for that mutual option to bring the actual guaranteed value of the deal up to two years, $34 million. That saves the Royals a few million against the luxury tax for the next two years, but ensures Perez isn't guaranteed a far lower average annual value.

Does that deal get things solved? You'd have to ask Perez and Picollo, but it feels fair from a birds-eye view.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Royals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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