Kansas City Royals Star Salvador Perez Named the MLB’s AL Comeback Player of the Year

Salvador Perez is a comeback king…

The 30-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player, and longtime catcher for the Kansas City Royals, is this year’s American League Comeback Player of the Year.

Salvador Perez

Perez missed the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery, but returned with a bang in the shortened ’20 campaign.

The 2015 World Series MVP hit a career-best .333 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in 37 games.

His career-high .633 slugging percentage was the second-highest in Royals history, trailing only George Brett (.664 in 1980).

And he became just the third catcher since 1900 to record multihit games, including an extra-base hit, in six consecutive contests (September 11-18).

This year’s National League Comeback Player of the Year: Colorado Rockies reliever Daniel Bard.

Morales Hits Three Home Runs Against the Detroit Tigers to Set New Royals Record

It’s one, two, three slams for Kendrys Morales

The 31-year-old Cuban professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter, who signed a lucrative, two-year deal with the Kansas City Royals last offseason, enjoyed what might have been the best offensive game of his Major League Baseball career, hitting three home runs in his team’s 10-3 win Sunday over the Detroit Tigers.

Kendrys Morales

Morales also hit a triple and set a team record with 15 total bases.

“We expected him to have a great year,” said Royals manager Ned Yost.

Morales homered in the third, fourth and eighth innings, becoming the first Kansas City player to go deep three times in a game since Danny Tartabull against Oakland on July 6, 1991.

Morales ended up scoring five times on the day, but he was on deck when Eric Hosmer flied out and ended the top of the ninth.

The Royals won the American League pennant last year, but they finished last in the majors in home runs. They’ve shown more pop in 2015, thanks in part to Morales, who took over the team lead in homers Sunday with 21. Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez have 20 each.

“It’s not about competition, it’s just about putting up good ABs and everybody doing their part,” Morales said through a translator.

Morales became the second player with 15 total bases in a game this season. Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets did it at Colorado on Aug. 21.

George Brett held the previous Royals record of 14 total bases. He did it in a 16-inning game in 1979.