‘Special day’: Salvador Perez reflects on being named KC Royals’ 4th ever team captain
Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s jersey was modified shortly before Thursday’s season opener at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals announced Thursday that Salvador Perez would serve as the team’s captain this season.
“It’s an honor to be the captain of the Kansas City Royals,” Perez said after the Royals’ 2-0 loss to the Twins. “I know we lost but it was a special day.”
Perez joins Royals Hall of Famers George Brett (1989-93), Frank White (1989-90) and Mike Sweeney (2003-07) as the only captains in the team’s history.
“Salvy is a Royals icon, a Kansas City icon and a baseball icon,” Royals executive vice president/general manager J.J. Picollo said in a news release. “This honor reflects not just his place in Royals history, but just as importantly the work he puts in and the leadership he provides our organization.”
Perez, 32, is now in his 12th season in the majors. He has made seven All-Star Games, along with winning five Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Slugger Awards.
He also was MVP of the 2015 World Series.
Perez will wear a C on his right chest to signify the honor, and the Royals held a pregame ceremony in the clubhouse with Brett, White and Sweeney.
“There’s a lot of things you’ll remember when you’re done playing, but I thought that was like special enough that I think I’ll remember that 20 years from now,” Greinke said of the ceremony. “It was a really neat thing that happened.”
Perez said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of the three previous team captains.
“What I said in the meeting,” Perez said, ”was when we talk about history, George Brett, Sweeney and Frank White, the way they played the game, the way they taught others to play the game, how to have passion for the game, it’s something that I want to follow.”
This story was originally published March 30, 2023 at 2:48 PM.
