Salvador Perez Extends Contract with Royals

Salvador Perez will continue his career in Kansas City. The Royals catcher has signed a two-year contract extension, which replaces the club option that was set to keep him with the team through 2026, as announced by the franchise on Tuesday evening.

While the team hasn’t disclosed the financial specifics of the new deal, reports indicate it’s valued at around $25 million. MLB.com noted that the contract includes a $7 million signing bonus along with deferred payments.

“Salby is a Royals legend and one of the most important players in franchise history,” said Royals general manager JJ Piccolo in a statement. “Next year was an option, but we all wanted his legacy to last longer than that. We appreciate Salvey’s contributions to the Royals and are just as excited as our fans.”

To provide some context, Perez had a club option for 2026 worth $13.5 million, which also included a $2 million buyout.

The 35-year-old catcher has spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball career with the Royals, even taking on the captaincy in 2023. Over the years, he’s earned nine All-Star selections and five Gold Glove Awards.

In 2015, Perez was instrumental in leading the Royals to a World Series victory over the Mets, where he was named the World Series MVP. Throughout his career, he has maintained a batting line of .264/.301/.457 with 1,016 RBIs.

He ranks highly among Royals catchers, holding the second spot in franchise history for home runs (303) and RBIs (1,106), while also being third in extra-base hits (634), sixth in hits (1,712), and seventh in games played (1,707).

In the recent 2025 season, Perez played 155 games, hitting 30 home runs, and marking his ninth consecutive season with 20 or more home runs, all while posting a solid .284 batting average.

The Royals concluded their 2025 season with an 82-80 record, following an unexpected postseason appearance the previous year.