Salvador Perez rebuts Royals manager Matt Quatraro over 'mental breather' line

Kansas City Royals captain Salvador Perez got a day off on Saturday, apparently against his will.The fun began when the Royals posted a lineup without Perez. Royals manager Matt Quatraro then told reporters he was giving Perez a “mental breather” after some recent struggles, with Carter Jensen getting the start behind the plate instead.That seemed simple enough … until about nine hours later, when Perez bluntly posted, “I don’t need a mental breather” on social media.So it might not be the most harmonious state of play in Kansas City right now. The Royals also lost 13-4 to the New York Yankees on Saturday, worsening their record to 7-14, tied with the New York Mets for the worst in MLB.AdvertisementJensen homered in that game, bringing his season total up to five.What’s particularly awkward is that the 35-year-old Perez has barely been playable so far this season, after a down 2025. He’s slashed .160/.210/.307 in 20 games so far this season, with 17 strikeouts and four walks in 81 plate appearances. Jensen hasn’t been much better at .214/.274/.446, but he has been better (except when it comes to waking up).Similar to what just happened on the Toronto Blue Jays with Eric Lauer, there’s probably a conversation to be had behind closed doors. Perez commands immense respect in Kansas City as a nine-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, five-time Gold Glove and World Series MVP of the Royals’ 2015 title, but he’s simply a different player now.AdvertisementQuatraro has been the manager in Kansas City since 2023 and entered this season with a 224-262 record, with a playoff berth in 2024.