Royals Manager Explains Salvador Perez Absence for Yankees Game

Perez will get a 'mental breather' as the Royals look to bounce back against the Yankees.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 4:25pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game or match, with sharp, overlapping planes of royal blue, powder blue, and gold representing the fragmented action on the field.Quatraro's decision to rest Perez reflects the Royals' need to manage their veteran stars' playing time as they try to turn around their slow start to the season.Kansas City Today

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro explained his decision to sit star catcher Salvador Perez for Saturday's game against the New York Yankees. Quatraro cited Perez's struggles at the plate to start the season and the need to give the 35-year-old veteran a 'mental breather' after playing in all 20 of the Royals' games so far.

Why it matters

Perez is one of the Royals' most important players, so his absence from the lineup is significant. The Royals are off to a slow 7-13 start and need to start winning games to climb out of the AL Central cellar, so managing Perez's playing time and rest could be crucial.

The details

With the Royals playing a day game after a night game, Quatraro decided to give Perez the start off and have backup catcher Carter Jensen handle the duties behind the plate. Perez is hitting just .160/.210/.307 through the first 20 games of the season, so the manager felt it was the right time to give the veteran a 'mental breather' and try to get him going again.

  • The Royals and Yankees are playing on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM EST.

The players

Matt Quatraro

The manager of the Kansas City Royals.

Salvador Perez

The 35-year-old star catcher for the Kansas City Royals who is off to a slow start this season, hitting just .160/.210/.307 through the first 20 games.

Carter Jensen

The backup catcher for the Kansas City Royals who will start behind the plate in Perez's absence.

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What they’re saying

“'Just looking at the way things have gone, he's (Perez) played in every game. Day game after night game, Carter was going to catch today, and Salvy's been struggling a little bit. Just try to give him a little mental breather.'”

— Matt Quatraro, Royals Manager

What’s next

If the game is close late, Perez could potentially receive a pinch-hit opportunity, but the Royals' priority is to give him a full day off to reset mentally.

The takeaway

Managing veteran stars like Perez's playing time and rest can be crucial for struggling teams like the Royals, who need to find ways to get their key players back on track while also trying to win games. Quatraro's decision to sit Perez shows he's willing to make tough calls to try to get the team going in the right direction.