los Kansas City Royals and catcher Salvador Perez have agreed to a four-year extension, the team announced Sunday.
The contract is worth $82 million, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports, which makes it the richest deal in Royals history. The Kansas City Star first reported the financial aspect of Perez’s extension.
Perez’s extension, which begins with the 2022 season, comes after a 2020 season in which he was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year.
He missed the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery, but returned with a bang in the shortened ’20 campaign. The 2015 World Series MVP hit a career-best .333 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in 37 games.
His career-high .633 slugging percentage was the second highest in Royals history, trailing only George Brett (.664 in 1980). And he became just the third catcher since 1900 to record multihit games, including an extra-base hits, in six consecutive contests (Sept. 11-18).
Perez is a five-time Gold Glove winner, and the Royals are counting on his ability to bring out the best in their pitchers to help a young and promising starting rotation that they hope will lead them back to the playoffs.
He has also has proved to be durable behind the plate. Perez appeared in at least 129 games for six consecutive seasons until he missed the 2019 season.
Perez, 30, is heading into his 10th season in the majors, all with Kansas City. For his career, he has slashed .269/.300/.449.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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