Royals' Salvator Perez, manager clear air about 'mental breather' - ESPN

NEW YORK — Royals captain Salvador Perez and manager Matt Quatraro said they were back on the same page Sunday after the catcher's social media post late Saturday caused drama between the team and one of its most beloved players.

The disconnect began after Perez was given the day off Saturday by Quatraro, who told reporters that «Salvy's been struggling a little bit. Just trying to give him a little mental breather.»

Perez took exception to the comment after the Royals' 13-4 loss to the New York Yankees, posting, «I don't need a mental breather» on X. He also went to Instagram to post a link to a Spanish-language version of a story on the subject, labeling it with the word «fake» in English.

«Little confused, you know. Not the right communication,» a smiling Perez said before Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium. «I'm good. Family's good. Everybody's good.»

Quatraro said that he and Perez speak daily, and he said that he informed Perez on Friday night that the 16-year veteran would be getting a rest Saturday. Perez, 36, is hitting .160 this season, with three homers and six RBIs.

Even after resting Saturday, Perez has started 14 of Kansas City's 21 games behind the plate.

«We're in a good spot,» Quatraro said. «What stands out to me is the mental breather was, from my perspective, telling him the night before he wasn't playing so we can take something off his plate, of preparing for our starting pitcher and the game plan, the opposing starting pitcher.

»There's a tremendous amount that goes into that for a guy like him, and so I think that's where that became a little bit misconstrued."

Perez, who has been the Royals' starting catcher since 2011, is famously reluctant to miss games, even given the physical toll associated