Kansas City Royals

Welcome to the history books, Salvador Perez.

The Kansas City Royals catcher launched his 46th home run of the season in the fifth inning of Monday's game against Cleveland. That total put him ahead of former Cincinnati Reds backstop Johnny Bench for the most home runs in a single season for a player who primarily plays catcher:

With his 46th home run, Salvy has passed Johnny Bench for the most home runs in a season by a primary catcher!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/reGW8DY8mO

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 20, 2021

Going places no catcher has gone before.#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/3qtQLUHP3Q

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 20, 2021

Bench congratulated the new record-holder on the achievement: 

Un hombre muy fuerte! A great man. Congrats @SalvadorPerez15. Most home runs by a catcher in a season. Catching Royal-ty. #MLB @Royals https://t.co/2lv5A6fftf

— Johnny Bench (@JohnnyBench_5) September 20, 2021

Perez has turned heads throughout the season with his power numbers, including when he hit 28 home runs in the opening round of the Home Run Derby. Unfortunately for the Royals star, he was matched up against eventual champion Pete Alonso and lost in that round.

The 31-year-old hit 27 homers in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018 but missed the 2019 campaign because of an elbow injury. He also played just 37 games during the shortened 2020 campaign.

To his credit, he has bounced back from the missed time and impressed as the anchor of Kansas City's lineup. Entering play Monday, he had a .274/.314/.542 slash line with a league-leading 113 RBI.

The five-time Gold Glover, three-time Silver Slugger and 2015 World Series MVP also made his seventh career All-Star Game this year.

Bench set the previous record with 45 home runs during the 1970 season while helping lead the Reds to the World Series. He finished his Hall of Fame career with 389 home runs and led the league twice, including when he hit 40 long balls in 1972.

Perez won't have a chance to match Bench's two World Series titles this year considering the Royals are eliminated from playoff contention and in fourth place in the American League Central.

The Kansas City Royals announced Sunday they have agreed to a four-year extension with catcher Salvador Perez.

Alex Lewis of The Athletic provided a breakdown of the new deal, which has an average of more than $20 million per year:

The terms of Salvador Perez's four-year extension, per source:

The $20.5 AAV deal starts in 2022.

2022: $18 million
2023: $20 million
2024: $20 million
2025: $22 million
2026: $13.5 million club option or $2 million buyout

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) March 21, 2021

Perez was heading into the final year of his current contract initially signed in 2016 and was set to make $14.2 million in 2021.

The 30-year-old bounced back in a big way in 2020 after missing all of 2019 with Tommy John surgery. The slugger finished with a .333 batting average and .986 OPS during the shortened season, both the best of his career.

He also added 11 home runs on his way to the Silver Slugger award, even earning MVP votes despite the Royals falling short of the playoffs.

Perez has been one of the best two-way catchers throughout his career, earning six straight All-Star selections from 2013-18, adding five Gold Glove awards and two more Silver Sluggers during this time frame.

He was also named World Series MVP after helping the Royals win it all in 2015.

The veteran has spent his entire career in Kansas City until now and will seemingly remain in the city for the foreseeable future.

The Kansas City Royals and Hunter Dozier have reportedly agreed to a four-year extension worth $25 million plus a $10 million player option for a fifth season, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Per Passan, the deal could max out at $49 million over five years based on bonuses and escalators. 

Dozier could have hit free agency in 2023, but the latest deal could keep him under team control through 2025.

The 29-year-old split his time between first base and right field last season, hitting .228 with a .344 on-base percentage and six home runs in 44 games.

The 29-year-old also becomes the first Royals player with guaranteed money beyond 2022, per Spotrac. Mike Minor and Whit Merrifield also have club options in 2023, but there are no other liabilities on the books.

Dozier split his time between first base and right field last season, hitting .228 with a .344 on-base percentage and six home runs in 44 games.

He made a bigger impact in 2019 while posting a .279 average, .348 OBP and 26 home runs to go with his league-leading 10 tripes. The versatile player also spent the majority of his time at third base that season.

After the Royals signed first baseman Carlos Santana and traded for outfielder Andrew Benintendi this offseason, Dozier will likely move back to third in 2021 while further strengthening the roster.

If he can continue to produce at the plate, the Royals will have locked down a key piece of their core at a great value will helping get back to contention in the AL Central.

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly traded Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. The New York Mets are also involved in the deal.   

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Boston and Kansas City are swapping left fielders, with Franchy Cordero headed to the East Coast. Royals prospect Khalil Lee is headed to New York, while Heyman added the Mets are sending right-hander Josh Winckowski to Boston.

Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported in mid-January that the outfielder was on the trading block, but rumors had died down recently. 

The Royals are hoping the Arkansas product will provide a boost offensively after Cordero's quieter campaign at the plate. 

Here's a look at what the Royals will look like with Benintendi in the outfield: 

        

Projected Lineup (via FanGraphs) 

1. RF Whit Merrifield

2. SS Adalberto Mondesi

3. C Salvador Perez

4. 1B Carlos Santana

5. DH Jorge Soler

6. 3B Hunter Dozier

7. LF Andrew Benintendi

8. CF Michael A. Taylor

9. 2B Nicky Lopez

         

Payroll (via Cot's Contracts)

The Royals are rid of Cordero's $800,000 contract, but they'll absorb a bigger deal with Benintendi. Per Spotrac, he is owed $6.6 million in the final season of a two-year deal. 

That would put the Royals' Opening Day payroll in the $90 million range, though the group is reportedly receiving cash somewhere in the deal that will help offset the costs. 

         

Notes on Benintendi

The 26-year-old was limited in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, appearing in just 14 games before a rib injury ended his season. Along the way, he slashed a miserable .103/.314/.128, but he was a solid piece of the Boston lineup over the two previous seasons. 

His 2019 production was a drop from his sophomore campaign in 2018, in which he made headlines for his graceful play in the outfield en route to a World Series title. But Speier pointed out that his dip in 2019 might not be as bad as it looked on paper. When injuries are taken out of the equation, he hit .286/.362/.476 through 117 games. 

Overall, he never quite found the same level of success he experienced in 2017 when he finished second to Aaron Judge in American League Rookie of the Year voting. 

In addition to his offensive skill and defensive prowess, the Ohio native comes with a lower price tag compared to some of the other outfielders who could have been acquired in free agency, so it's a solid upgrade for the Royals. 

The Kansas City Royals reportedly aren't interested in signing free-agent outfielder Yasiel Puig, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman added that the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees, who were "rumored to be in on Puig," aren't interested either.

The 30-year-old outfielder's last MLB action occurred during the 2019 season, when he played for the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to Cleveland. He had 24 home runs, a career-high 84 RBI, a .267 batting average and .785 OPS. He also added a career-high 19 stolen bases.

Puig missed the entire 2020 season. He agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves on July 14, but he announced a positive COVID-19 test result three days later, nixing the contract.

Puig played the first six years of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking into MLB with 19 home runs and a .925 OPS during his rookie year in 2013. He finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez.

However, injuries (namely strained hamstrings in 2015 and 2016) hampered his production for much of the remainder of his Dodgers career. He did hit a career-high 28 home runs in 2017 (alongside a .833 OPS) and added 23 more in 2018 (with a .820 OPS).

The Dodgers traded Puig to the Reds in December 2018 in a seven-player deal. Puig enjoyed a power surge in Cincinnati with 22 home runs in just 100 games.

With the team out of the playoff picture, the Reds traded him to a contender in Cleveland, where Puig hit two homers, knocked in 27 runners and hit .297.

Puig has also played 58 playoff games, hitting .280 with five home runs (two in the 2017 World Series versus the Houston Astros) and 23 RBI.

The Kansas City Royals "have shown interest" in veteran starting pitcher Adam Wainwright, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

However, Morosi added that the Royals "don't appear to be frontrunners" for Wainwright's signature.

Kansas City has one thing working in its favor since new manager Mike Matheny coached the three-time All-Star for seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wainwright started his career with the Atlanta Braves but was traded to the Cardinals in 2003 as part of the J.D. Drew deal before making his MLB debut. His 326 starts for St. Louis are the fourth-most in franchise history.

It doesn't appear Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is in a hurry to bring the 39-year-old back, though. The Athletic's Mark Saxon reported Dec. 9 that St. Louis would like to have Wainwright going forward but is also keeping a tight focus on its payroll.

According to Saxon, Wainwright is "believed to be seeking" a one-year contract that might be incentive-laden rather than guaranteeing him the biggest payout possible. If that's the case, then he'd make sense for any team with eyes on a playoff run.

The two-time Cy Young runner-up went 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 4.10 FIP over 10 starts in 2020. He was also 14-10 with a 4.19 ERA and 4.36 FIP in 2019. Wainwright is obviously no longer at his peak but can contribute in the middle or back end of the rotation.

The Royals are a somewhat surprising suitor since they don't seem to be a strong contender on paper. They figure to be the third-best team in their own division behind the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox. Cleveland might be able to wring another postseason run out of its current roster as well despite its efforts to cut payroll.

Kansas City has, however, signed Mike Minor and Carlos Santana. Although those weren't transformative additions, they point to a team that wishes to do more than bottom out in 2021.

Free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana agreed to a two-year, $17.5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Carlos Santana is to receive $7M in 2021 and $10.5M in 2022 in his deal with the #Royals

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 8, 2020

Sherman noted the deal features $1 million in incentives.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported the deal.

The 34-year-old is an 11-year veteran who has spent nearly his entire career with the Cleveland Indians, including last season.

During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Santana appeared in all 60 games, hitting just .199 with eight home runs, 30 RBI and 34 runs scored. Although his power production was down, he led the American League with 47 walks and posted a .349 on-base percentage.

His penchant for getting on base has always been one of his greatest strengths, but he did more than that in 2019, which was a career year for him. 

His .281 batting average was a career best, as were his 34 home runs, 93 RBI and 110 runs scored. He also had 108 walks, plus a .397 on-base percentage and .515 slugging percentage. As a result of his production, he was named an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger award for the first time in his career.

Santana broke into the big leagues as a catcher with the Indians in 2010, but he eventually transitioned to first base. He played in Cleveland for his first eight seasons before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency in 2018.

He lasted just one year in Philly before getting traded back to Cleveland, though, which turned out to be a positive move for his career.

While Santana is getting up there in age and coming off a down season, his ability to draw walks and get on base gives him a high floor in terms of being an effective player.

Even when he isn't hitting homers and driving runs in with regularity like he did in 2019, he is a useful player since he finds a way to keep the line moving.

If Santana can continue to do that, he has a chance to be one of the biggest steals of free agency for the Royals.

Kansas City is coming off a 26-34 season and hasn't reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2015, but with Santana joining a talented lineup that also includes Jorge Soler, Whit Merrifield, Salvador Perez and Adalberto Mondesi, KC could be a tough team to play against in 2021.

It can be hard during the middle of football season in Kansas City to remember there are two professional athletes in town who sport No. 15 on their jerseys.

The more famous one, of course, is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Super Bowl champion and MVP who recently signed one of the largest contracts in sports history. The other No. 15 is Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield—a 2019 All-Star, two-time American League stolen base leader and as consistent a hitter at the plate as they come.

We got you Whit! We’re fans of both number 15s in Kansas City. ⚾️🏈 pic.twitter.com/UpngEss4x4

— SCHEELS (@SCHEELS) November 25, 2020

A sporting goods store in K.C. may have overlooked that fact in setting up its Royals display for the MLB offseason. Instead of putting out jerseys celebrating Merrifield or Alex Gordon or George Brett, Scheels stocked up on Royals' Mahomes gear—all with No. 15 on the back.

That didn't sit too well with the ballplayer of the same number, and the quarterback said it had to be fixed.

This wasn't some type of gaffe on the part of any manufacturers, either. Mahomes became a minority shareholder of the Royals over the summer, and the opportunity to put his name on a jersey was too great to pass up.

Scheels responded to Merrifield with pictures letting him know his apparel was on display, too, but it would take a few stacks of jerseys to equal the Mahomes setup.

😂😂😂 we got to get that fixed man! https://t.co/KpCJqnqJL8

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) November 25, 2020

Fortunately for Merrifield, getting in touch with his boss to find a solution was only a tweet away.

The Alex Gordon era has ended in Kansas City.

Gordon, who played for the Royals since 2007 after the team drafted him with the second overall pick out of the University of Nebraska in 2005, retired Thursday, the club announced.

After 14 years of hard work and dedication to the #Royals, Alex Gordon is retiring from baseball.

Thank you for always giving it your all, Gordo.#4EverRoyal pic.twitter.com/S5A0Y7ASFq

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 24, 2020

Gordon's career with the Royals started unceremoniously, with the Nebraska native debuting in 2007 as a third baseman but bouncing between the majors and minors until 2010.

The Royals moved him to the outfield in 2010 during a minor league stint, and his career took off in 2011. Gordon transformed into a seven-time Gold Glove winner and three-time American League All-Star. He earned his first Gold Glove in 2011, when he added 20 outfield assists, and he is the only outfielder to claim seven Gold Gloves from 2011 to 2019.

Gordon started every postseason game for the Royals en route to their World Series victory against the Mets in 2015, and he tied Game 1 on a ninth-inning homer to set up a 14-inning Royals win. 

He signed a four-year extension the following offseason and inked a one-year, $4 million deal to stay with the team in January. His 1,749 appearances are the fourth-most among active players who have played with one team, behind Yadier Molina (2,021), Joey Votto (1,768) and Ryan Braun (1,761). 

The Royals host the Detroit Tigers for a four-game series to end the regular season, and Gordon's last game will be the season finale Sunday afternoon. He has career average of .257 with 190 home runs and is the franchise leader with 14 leadoff home runs. He's also has been hit by a pitch a franchise-record 121 times.

Looking to solidify their status as playoff contenders in the National League, the San Diego Padres have upgraded their bullpen by acquiring Trevor Rosenthal. 

Per an official announcement from the Royals, they will receive outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named later to the Royals in exchange for Rosenthal.    

Edward Olivares is the Padres' No. 20 prospect, per @MLBPipeline. Here's the scouting report on one of the players headed to the Royals when the Trevor Rosenthal deal becomes official: pic.twitter.com/mo3ACUspaw

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 29, 2020

Relief pitching hasn't been among the Padres' strengths this season. That group entered Saturday ranked 24th in Major League Baseball with a 5.35 ERA.

Closer Kirby Yates is likely out for the season because of an elbow injury that required surgery earlier this week. Drew Pomeranz is on the injured list with a shoulder strain. 

Rosenthal has had a terrific rebound year after posting a 13.50 ERA in 22 appearances with the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers last season. The 30-year-old put up a 3.29 ERA with nine hits allowed and 21 strikeouts in 13.2 innings for the Royals. 

Despite the bullpen issues, the Padres are in second place in the National League West with a 20-14 record. They are only four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in MLB.