Royals’ Brad Keller and Salvador Perez eyeing on-time start to spring training in Arizona
Full steam ahead toward Arizona. At least that’s the approach from Kansas City Royals right-handed starting pitcher Brad Keller and star catcher Salvador Perez.
Recent speculation had already caused some to doubt whether spring training camps would start on time, and this week’s letter from the Cactus League suggesting a delayed start only added more reason for trepidation.
However, the train that is the Major League Baseball season remains on track and on schedule for the moment.
Keller and Perez spoke to reporters via video conference on Friday after being named the Royals Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year, respectively.
“Since I’ve been home I’ve just been hanging out with my family, working out,” said Keller, who spent the offseason training in his home state of Georgia. “I started throwing in the middle of December. Things have been going good. I just threw my fifth bullpen yesterday. I’m feeling good and ready to get going again.”
Keller plans to arrive in Arizona on February 10, ahead of the first pitchers and catchers workout scheduled for February 17.
The Athletic reported this week that the Cactus League’s letter had been “encouraged” by an MLB representative, the implication being that it was an ownership tactic to use leverage against the players’ union. The Cactus League denied that claim.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic interrupted spring training last year and led to a truncated 60-game 2020 MLB season. Health and safety protocols altered the way players, coaches, support staff and front offices interacted on a daily basis.
But having gone through that already, MLB and the players appear braced for the 2021 spring training and regular season to begin under similar circumstances.
“I feel like this offseason definitely was a little bit different just because things back home were still COVID-bound,” Keller said. “So you still had to follow some guidelines. But as far as actually working out and preparing for next year, it’s kind of felt similar to years past.”
Keller got a late start to the shortened 2020 season after contracting COVID-19 during spring training 2.0 in July. He began the season on the injured list as he continued his throwing progression.
Perez also dealt with a COVID-19 infection that delayed his start to spring training 2.0. He bounced back and had one of his most-productive offensive seasons statistically while playing in just 37 games.
“The only thing different has been wearing a mask in the gym,” Perez said of his offseason training. “I don’t like to wear a mask in the gym, but I’ve got to do it here. I think that’s the only thing different. Besides that, it’s still the same.”
Perez’s schedule has been fairly consistent with what he did last offseason — morning gym and agility training, followed by catching-specific and hitting-specific work with Pedro Grifol and Mike Tosar.
Several times per week he hits with designated hitter Jorge Soler at Florida International University in Miami.
Perez said he plans to fly to Arizona next week. Players will have to clear intake testing before they’re allowed to workout and train at the team’s facility.
“I like to get at least one week, a week and a half before everything starts,” Perez said. “That’s the way I like to do it. I always do that. So I’m planning right now to go there next week and start everything.”
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 5:51 PM.
