Royals, Salvador Perez have difference of opinion on playing time

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been a workhorse throughout his career. The 2026 season has not been any different.

Anne Rogers from MLB.com reported that Royals manager Matt Quatraro kept Perez out of Saturday's game to give him a "mental breather," noting that Perez has played every day and has been struggling. However, Perez took to X after the game, posting that he did not need a mental break.

It is difficult to argue with Quartaro's assessment from a statistical viewpoint. Perez has struggled offensively in the early going, posting a disappointing .160/.210/.301 batting line with three homers and a pair of doubles in his 81 plate appearances. 

Salvador Perez could lose more playing time with Kansas City Royals in the near future

Saturday may not be the only day Perez has off in the next few days. Daniel Alvarez-Montes from El ExtraBase reported that the Royals will be calling up catcher Elias Diaz from Triple-A, with a corresponding move on the 40-man roster yet to be announced. Adding Diaz to the roster will give the Royals three catchers with Perez and rookie backstop Carter Jensen.

While Diaz will likely give both Perez and Jensen additional time off, it may be more difficult for the offensively starved Royals to take Jensen out of the lineup. He has posted a .237/.303/.508 batting line with five homers in his 66 plate appearances as he has split time between catcher and the designated hitter role. 

The Royals have scored a total of 22 runs during a six-game losing streak, with nine of those runs coming on Thursday. Perez, much like most of the Royals' lineup, has struggled in the early going. Despite his protestations, getting more time off may help Perez break out of his early-season malaise.