Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez will have surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament of his left thumb but is expected to return this season, the team said Friday.
He was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday.
Perez first went on the injured list on May 18 with a left thumb sprain and was activated May 28. He initially sustained the injury while swinging the bat during the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox on May 17.
On Tuesday, he left Kansas City’s win over the Los Angeles Angels after aggravating the injury.
The seven-time All-Star had a career season last year, tying for the major league lead in home runs with 48 and setting a record for most home runs by a catcher. He also drove in an MLB-best 121 runs. He finished seventh in the American League MVP voting.
This season, however, he is batting a career-low .211 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs in 57 games.
Perez, 32, reached the majors with Kansas City in 2011. He was World Series MVP in 2015 when the Royals beat the New York Mets to win the crown.
In a corresponding move, the Royals activated outfielder Edward Olivares (quad strain) from the injured list. The 26-year-old is batting .371 with four doubles and three RBIs in 15 games this season.
–Field Level Media