Salvador Perez Nears Major Career Milestone Ahead of 2026 Season
While the Kansas City Royals missed the playoffs for a second straight year in 2025, the season still brought some standout performances — including another productive campaign from longtime catcher Salvador Perez.
Rising stars like Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino made big strides, and Bobby Witt Jr. continued to shine. But it was Perez, the veteran leader behind the plate, who quietly put together another impressive season — and now finds himself on the brink of Royals history.
Perez played in 155 games in 2025, marking the fourth time in five years he’s appeared in 140 or more contests. While his overall value (0.4 bWAR) dipped from his 2.5 mark in 2024, he still produced strong power numbers — hitting 30 home runs, 35 doubles, and driving in 100 runs. It was the first time in his 14-year career he reached the 30-homer, 30-double, and 100-RBI marks in a single season.
That performance now positions Perez to break a major franchise record in 2026 — if he returns.
Perez Could Become Royals’ All-Time Home Run Leader
Perez ended the 2025 season with 303 career home runs, becoming just the second player in Royals history to reach the 300-homer milestone. He now sits just 14 home runs shy of George Brett’s all-time franchise record of 317.
Given his recent track record — averaging around 25 home runs and 141 games played per season since 2022 — Perez is on pace to surpass Brett’s mark in 2026, assuming he stays healthy and remains with the club.
That part seems likely. While his four-year, $82 million contract concluded this season, the deal included a $13.5 million club option for 2026. Royals general manager J.J. Picollo made it clear that the team plans to bring Perez back.
“I think it’s safe to say that one way or another, Salvy will be in a Royals uniform in ’26,” Picollo said on September 30, per The Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson.
A Chance to Cement His Legacy
If Perez passes Brett’s career home run total next year, he would hold both the franchise’s all-time and single-season home run records. He already shares the single-season mark with Jorge Soler — both hit 48 homers in a season (Soler in 2019, Perez in 2021).
As the Royals look to rebound and return to playoff contention in 2026, Perez’s chase for the franchise home run crown will be a major storyline — and another chapter in what’s already been a remarkable career in Kansas City.
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