Can Royals star Salvador Perez stave off Father Time for another year?

It is rare to see a six-foot-three-inch tall catcher who has crouched behind the plate for 1,291 games, but Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez has down just that. He made his debut in 2011 and is still going strong. 

Perez didn't get much time off early in his career. From 2013-17, he caught 550 games. However, from 2018-20, he only set up behind the plate in 130 games due to injuries and COVID-19.

It's unusual, but Perez is still improving. In 2021, at 31 years old, he set the record for home runs by a catcher with 48. He had 121 RBI that season, too. In the subsequent three seasons, he's produced 73 more homers and another 260 RBI. His previous career high in walks was 28 in 2021, but in 2024, he earned 44 free passes, a 57 percent improvement over his career-best. His .330 on-base percentage was his best for an entire season. According to Fangraphs, his walk rate was the best of his career in 2024, and his strikeout rate was the best since 2018. Old dogs aren't supposed to learn new tricks!

His batting average hasn't slipped, either. He earned an average of .271 at 34, four points over his career average. His percentage of hard-hit balls was also higher than his career average. 

It has helped that the Royals have limited his games behind the plate. He caught 91 games in 2024, but he hasn't just become a designated hitter in his dotage. He played 49 games at first base. While he isn't a wizard with the glove at first, he isn't butchering the position, either. 

He earned one Defensive Run Saved at first base and had an Ultimate Zone Rating of 3.1, well above his mark of -.6 in 2023. He didn't commit an error at the bag in 625 innings. 

He doesn't throw out runners from behind the plate like he did before his elbow surgery in 2019, and defensive metrics have never been kind to him in the era of the framed pitch. He still calls a good game and does a fine job managing his pitchers. He just isn't quite as mobile and agile as a catcher as he was when he was younger. That's unsurprising when you consider how big of a guy he is.

How long can Perez beat Father Time? He's been rejuvenated by getting more time off from squatting every game, and the results in 2024 were outstanding. He turns 35 in May, so that clock is ticking louder and louder. It probably will be quick when the drop-off finally occurs, but if last season was any indication, it's unwise to assume it will arrive this season.

A great indicator is OPS+. It compares his OPS to the league average, which is 100, and adjusted for ballparks. Perez checked in with an OPS+ of 119, well above average and the second-highest of his career for a full season. That is not a number for a player in full decline. 

Look for Perez to defy time for at least one more year. He may not be able to match his 2024 numbers, but he can still be a force in the middle of the Royals' lineup.