Royals’ Salvador Perez once again recognized as AL’s top offensive catcher
Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez’s comeback season included his third Silver Slugger Award in recognition of the American League’s best offensive catcher.
Perez — who missed the entire 2019 season after he had Tommy John surgery during spring training — has won all three of his awards since 2016. His latest honor put himself in a class with Royals legend and Hall of Famer George Brett as the only players in franchise history to win three Silver Slugger Awards (the award was established in 1980). Brett won two times as a third baseman and once as a first baseman.
This season’s awards were announced in a telecast on MLB Network on Thursday evening.
Earlier this offseason, a panel of American League executives selected Perez as The Sporting News AL All-Star catcher. Perez was also a finalist for the AL Comeback Player of the Year.
Perez, who recently finished his ninth major-league season with the Royals, became the 12th catcher to win at least three Silver Slugger awards, the first since former Minnesota Twins star Joe Mauer. Mauer’s last award came in 2013.
The winners were decided by a vote of MLB managers and coaches.
Despite Perez having missed 20 games due to an eye ailment that forced him onto the injured list, he solidified his place as the league’s most productive offensive player at the catcher position.
Perez set career highs in batting average (.333) and slugging percentage (.633) while playing in 37 games in the 60-game pandemic-shortened season. He did not qualify for the AL batting title. He led the Royals in home runs (11), and ranked second in RBIs (32) and extra-base hits (23).
Perez’s 11 homers tied for third most by a player who played in 37 games or fewer, behind Frank Thomas’ 12 in 34 games in 2005 and Ted Williams’ 13 in 37 games in 1953 when Williams missed most of the season as he served in the military during the Korean War.
Perez tied the Philadelphia Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto for the most home runs in the majors as a catcher this season, and Perez led all catchers (minimum 100 at-bats) in batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.681) and OPS (1.048) as a catcher (not including at-bats playing another position or serving as designated hitter).
Royals Silver Slugger Award winners
George Brett – 1980, 1985, 1988 (1980 and ’85 at third base, ‘88 at first base)
Salvador Perez – 2016, 2018, 2020 (catcher)
Willie Wilson – 1980, 1982 (outfield)
Hal McRae – 1982 (designated hitter)
Frank White – 1986 (second base)
Gary Gaetti – 1995 (third base)
Dean Palmer – 1998 (third base)
Billy Butler – 2012 (designated hitter)
Kendrys Morales – 2015 (designated hitter)
Eric Hosmer – 2017 (first base)
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Royals’ Salvador Perez once again recognized as AL’s top offensive catcher."
