*Photo from the Kansas City Star*
The longtime face of the Kansas City Royals just got extended like one. The Royals and Perez have agreed to a 4 year, $82 million contract extension, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. The deal has a team option for the 2026 season worth $13.5 million, with a $2 million buyout. The Royals have confirmed the extension.
Perez returned to the Royals after a season long injury in 2019, hitting .333 with a .986 OPS, hitting 11 homers and driving in 32 runs in 37 games played in 2020. In his 9 seasons in the majors, Perez has a .269 average with a .749 OPS, hitting 152 homers and driving in 535 runs in 979 games played, all with the Royals.
Royals GM Dayton Moore said of the extension that "It’s not often that you get a chance to have press conferences like this, where you get a chance to reward and celebrate a player like Salvador Perez. Who he is as a person, what he means to the game of baseball, what he means to the organization, our fans. It’s a special day to be able to celebrate that."
Perez's deal is a franchise record deal in terms of money for the Royals, with the $82 million guaranteed money surpassing the extension given to Alex Gordon in 2014, which was worth $72 million. Perez will make around $20.5 million average per season, with the extension kicking in next year.
Perez said of extending his contract that "I feel so happy and excited that I’m going to stay here for a long time, for four or five more years, and hopefully I can end my career here. I love the people here, I love the fans. I’m excited. I can’t wait for the season to start and to see what happens."
The Perez extension is the second contract extension given out by the Royals this offseason, with Hunter Dozier being extended earlier in March.
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