The Kansas City Royals expect to be without perennial All-Star catcher Salvador Perez for at least two weeks with a sprained left thumb.
He could be out as long as 4-6 weeks.
The injury occurred during Perez’s first at-bat Tuesday in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Perez said he sprained the thumb while swinging the bat. Perez, serving as the designated hitter in Game 1, left the game in the seventh inning because he couldn’t grip the bat.
The Royals put Perez on the10-day injured list between the two games and recalled catcher Sebastian Rivero from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
“It’s the inside of my thumb, a grade 2 (sprain),” Perez said, per the Kansas City Star. “The ligament got turned. I just need some time off. Hopefully, it’s just 10 days. (Head trainer Kyle Turner) told me maybe it’s going to be four to six weeks, at least 21 days. It’s grade 2.”
Royals rookie MJ Melendez was forced to catch both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
Perez, 32, is batting just .206 with six homers and 16 RBIs in 34 games. The seven-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner slugged 48 homers last season and is a career .268 hitter.
–Field Level Media