Royals' Perez inks 2-year extension reportedly worth $25M
The Kansas City Royals signed catcher and team captain Salvador Perez to a two-year contract extension, they announced Tuesday.
The extension is worth $25 million, and includes some deferrals, a source told Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
The new deal supersedes the $13.5-million club option for 2026 that the Royals held as part of Perez's previous $82-million extension signed in 2021. They had until Thursday to exercise that option.
Instead, Kansas City locked up the longtime face of its franchise through his age-37 season, all but assuring he'll finish his career in a Royals uniform.
"Salvy is a Royals legend and one of the most important players this franchise has ever had," general manager J.J. Picollo said, per The Associated Press. "We had the option for next year, but everyone knew we wanted to make sure his legacy with us continued longer than that. We appreciate Salvy's commitment to the Royals, and we're just as excited as our fans."
Let’s go!! 💙 @SalvadorPerez15 https://t.co/LRqCK0Bsio
— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) November 5, 2025
Perez is coming off another solid offensive season that saw him hit .236/.284/.446 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs over 155 games. He didn't commit an error in 92 games behind the plate, but continued to ease his workload by playing 30-plus games at designated hitter and first base.
There's a chance that Perez could begin shifting into a primary DH role during this contract. He'll also be able to mentor young catcher Carter Jensen, the Royals' top prospect who made his big-league debut in September.
Over his 14 seasons in Kansas City, Perez has slashed .264/.301/.457 with 1,712 hits, 303 home runs, and 1,016 RBIs. He was the face of the franchise during their resurgence in the mid-2010s, and won World Series MVP in 2015 after leading the Royals to their first title in 30 years. The nine-time All-Star has also won five Silver Sluggers, five Gold Gloves, and the Roberto Clemente Award for his charitable and community work.
Perez ranks top-10 in Royals history in nearly every statistical category, and enters 2026 needing just 15 homers to break George Brett's franchise record. He was named team captain before the 2023 season.