Royals’ Salvador Perez confirms contract extension talks, says he’s ‘happy, either way’

In the months after claiming his first World Series title, after he cradled the series Most Valuable Player trophy on a cool night in New York, Salvador Perez dropped 10 pounds from his 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame. According to Perez, this was not exactly intentional.

In the afterglow of a championship, he retreated to his native Venezuela, spending five weeks relaxing on beautiful beaches, toasting the title with a routine of barbecues and family time. When he returned to the United States, he headed back to Arizona, where he spent the last few weeks working out at the Royals’ facility in Surprise.

But the slimmer frame? It comes from a pragmatic solution.

“When I eat rice, I just eat a lot of rice,” Perez said Friday, sitting inside Bartle Hall at Royals FanFest. “So now, just a little bit.”

Perez said he is unsure about his lighter state — “I feel weak,” he said — but it is something he can control. The same cannot be said of his contract status, which came to the forefront this week as the Royals prepared to wrap up the offseason and head to spring training in February.

On Friday, Perez confirmed that his representatives have discussed the idea of a contract extension with the Royals’ front office — a topic that has simmered since 2014, when Perez ditched his own agent and hired Rick Thurman of Beverly Hills Sports Council. Whether a resolution is imminent is less clear.

Perez is under club control for four more seasons, including three cost-friendly club options, and industry insiders generally view his contract as one of the most team-friendly in all of baseball. On Friday, Perez said he would welcome a re-structuring of his deal — which would likely come with an extension — but stated he would be “happy, either way.”

“That’s why I’ve got my agent,” Perez said. “I’m going to talk to him. If something happens, great. If not, I’m still happy.”

As per team policy, Royals general manager Dayton Moore has declined to discuss the situation or acknowledge the talks. But at this point, of course, any extension would require both sides working through some natural obstacles.

“There’s been a lot written about it,” Moore said. “There’s been a lot speculated about it. Salvy is a cherished player for us. And we love him. We want him here.”

The Royals must weigh the benefits of locking up Perez beyond 2019 — when he could become a free agent — against the risk of counting on an aging catcher with plenty of wear and tear on his body. Perez, meanwhile, must ponder his own future.

Perez, 25, signed his last contract before the 2012 season, a five-year, $7 million deal that included three club options worth an additional $14.75 million. Perez, who is set to make $2 million in 2016, has reached the fifth year of the deal, with the option phase beginning in next season. He would make $3.75 million next season, $5 million in 2018 and $6 million in 2019.

Perez has become a mainstay in the All-Star Game. For the Royals, the deal has become a cost-friendly asset. And with Perez under club control for three more seasons, the Royals may have little impetus to restructure a deal.

The Royals could perhaps attempt to tack on two to three years to the end of the contract, increasing the guaranteed money and keeping Perez in Kansas City through his early 30s. But for Perez, timing and age could be a consideration.

Perez will be 29 following the 2019 season, the year of his final club option. As a defensive-minded catcher with a bulky frame, some evaluators believe Perez may someday transition to part-time duty at first base or designated hitter. As a result, Perez could be better suited to hit free agency at age 29 than at 31 or 32. Those factors could complicate any negotiations.

In deciphering the market for Perez, there are few perfect analogs. A year ago, the Toronto Blue Jays signed catcher Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million contract just months before his 32nd birthday. Before the 2012 season, the Cardinals signed Yadier Molina to a five-year, $75 million extension that began in 2013, when the All-Star catcher was just months from his 30th birthday. The difference, of course, was that neither of these deals were struck with three years remaining on a previous contract.

One thing is certain. As the Royals prepare to embark on a title defense, they do so with the calming influence of Perez behind the plate. Since debuting in 2011, Perez has grown into one of the most acclaimed catchers in the game. He has appeared in three straight All-Star Games and earned three consecutive Gold Glove awards. He batted .260 with a .280 on-base percentage and 21 homers in 2015. He has averaged 3.2 Wins Above Replacement since 2013. Along with Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain, Perez has become the face of baseball in Kansas City.

“I feel like I did something for kids,” Perez said, reflecting on the 2015 season. “Now more kids want to be like Salvy. It’s good.”

Still, the statistical case for Perez is not a slam dunk, especially on offense. His offense has appeared to plateau at times during the last two seasons; his OPS (on-base plus slugging) has hovered around .700 after staying close to .800 during his first three seasons in the big leagues. The Royals also took on risk in offering Perez’s last extension, offering financial stability to a player who had played just 39 games in the big leagues.

“Where we’re coming from, it’s hard,” Perez has said of signing his first extension. “It’s hard because we know about money, but we don’t have good houses in Venezuela. My mom didn’t have a really good job.

“When they give you an opportunity, for your life, to be safe, to try to move here, I think you look around at what you had before, and say you have to do it.”

For the moment, though, Perez is content to be patient with the process. When his weekend in Kansas City is over, he will return to Arizona and head back to the Royals’ facility in Surprise. His teammates are set to join him in a matter of weeks.

“We’ve got to wait,” Perez said of his contract situation. “I’m happy, either way. I’m still happy, no matter what. I’m here to play the game. That’s what I like to do.”

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Royals’ Salvador Perez confirms contract extension talks, says he’s ‘happy, either way’."