Salvador Perez Responds to Royals Manager's Explanation for Keeping Star Out of Lineup vs. Yankees

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez didn't seem to agree with Royals manager Matt Quatraro's explanation for keeping him out of the lineup during the team's 13-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday.

"I don't need a mental breather," Perez wrote in a post on X.

Quatraro told reporters that he wanted to give Perez a "mental breather" and left him out of Kansas City's lineup.

"Just looking at the way things have gone, he's played in every game," Quatraro said. "Day game after night game, Carter was going to catch today, and Salvy's been struggling a little bit. Just try to give him a little mental breather."

Perez is searching for more consistency at the plate to open the 2026 season, as he's hitting just .160 with a .517 OPS through 20 games. He's also recorded two doubles, three home runs and six RBI.

Kansas City ended up falling to New York without Perez, while Quatraro was ejected in the middle of the first inning.

The Royals lost their sixth consecutive game, as they sit at the bottom of the American League Central standings with a 7-14 record.