Royals news: Salvador Perez takes issue with ‘mental breather’ suggestion

Kansas City Royals slugger Salvador Perez is struggling to start the 2026 season. Perez is hitting at just a .160 batting average, through 20 games played. Perez is taking a subtle shot at people who argue he needs a break.

“I don’t need a mental breather,” Perez posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Perez had another tough outing on Friday, when he went 0-for-4 from the plate for Kansas City in a loss to the New York Yankees. Perez then was out of the lineup altogether for Kansas City’s game on Saturday against New York.

Perez’s comments on X though are all the more interesting, when one takes into account the fact that his own manager was the one who argued the slugger needed a break.

“Just looking at the way things have gone, he’s played in every game,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said about Perez’s absence Saturday, per MLB.com. “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.”

Kansas City ended up losing to the Yankees Saturday, 13-4. The Royals are now 7-14 on the season.

Royals still have faith in Salvador Perez

Although some Royals fans are disappointed in the slugger, Perez’s coaches insist they are standing by the veteran.

“We know he’s not going to play 162 games, so we have to be strategic about the times where we do give him a day,” Quatraro said. “Some of it’s physical. He’s caught a lot early in the season. Some of it’s just the mental part, too. He’s a human, and when you struggle and you beat yourself up, you have high expectations like he does, sometimes it’s good to just relieve a little of the pressure.”

Kansas City hopes to pick up a win when they play the Yankees again on Sunday. The Royals have dropped the first two games of that series.

Kansas City Royals slugger Salvador Perez is struggling to start the 2026 season. Perez is hitting at just a . 160 batting average, through 20 games played. Perez is taking a subtle shot at people who argue he needs a break. “I don’t need a mental breather,” Perez posted to X, formerly Twitter.