One would be hard pressed to find a catcher who’s been more durable than Salvador Perez over the last five seasons. But the Kansas City Royals backstop will begin the 2018 season on the DL.
Perez sustained an injury on Tuesday night, though not in a way most catchers normally do. He tore his MCL while carrying his luggage.
Salvy Perez slipped last night carrying his luggage and has MCL tear. Out 4-6 weeks.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) March 28, 2018
There’s never a good time for an injury. But an injury right before Opening Day is about as bad as it gets.
In reality, the recovery time for the injury seems optimistic. An MCL tear is a rather serious injury. For a catcher, though, it’s even worse.
Perez has won four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and has made five straight American League All-Star teams. In 2017, he slashed at .268/.297/.495 and set career highs with 27 home runs and 80 RBI.