Overview
- Manager Matt Quatraro kept Perez out of Saturday’s starting lineup against the Yankees, calling it a mental breather and saying the veteran would be available off the bench.
- Hours after the Saturday announcement, Perez posted on social media that he did not need a mental breather, creating a rare public split with his manager.
- Quatraro cited the usual day game after a night game routine and Perez’s heavy workload, noting the catcher had appeared in every game and struggled at the plate.
- Carter Jensen started at catcher and hit a home run, his fifth of the season, as the Royals fell 13-4 to New York and dropped to 7-14.
- Perez, a nine-time All-Star and 2015 World Series MVP, has opened 2026 with a .160/.210/.307 line and one hit in 28 chances with runners in scoring position, sharpening the focus on how the team spaces his days off.