Even on his day off, Royals catcher Salvador Perez couldn’t resist joining a game — especially when it was Wiffle ball with kids.
On Thursday, Perez was driving through a neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, when he saw some kids playing in a backyard. He stopped his car, got out, and asked, “Hey, can I play with you guys?” The kids were initially surprised to see him.
Lesley Lard, one of the kids’ mothers, shared a video on social media showing Perez — not in his Royals uniform but in a casual T-shirt and shorts — taking a big swing and running the bases.
Perez said, “One of my friends invited me for lunch, and even though it was my off day, I played like, three innings. I saw them, turned my car around, got out, and asked the kids if I could join them. Now it’s a highlight.”
He added with a smile, “They went crazy. They were like, ‘Oh, my God! It’s Salvy! Come hit with us!’”
Perez, 34, who has played his entire 13-year MLB career in Kansas City, is a beloved figure. He frequently signs autographs before games, and his No. 13 jersey is a common sight among fans at Kauffman Stadium.
“Good for him,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “That’s an incredible memory for those kids. We see him smiling big every night. Now he shared that with those kids too. It’s really special.”
Perez, who helped the Royals win the AL pennants in 2014 and 2015 and their first World Series in 30 years, mentioned that there weren’t any Wiffle balls in Venezuela where he grew up, but he did play pickup games in the neighborhood.
The kids on Thursday were using a variation of a Wiffle ball called a Blitzball, which is similar but curves more. Perez found it challenging to hit.
“They struck me out once,” he said laughing. “It’s hard to hit that ball. It moves.”
Few pitchers are having much success against Perez this season. He was hitting .274 with 22 homers and 85 RBIs before Friday night’s game, helping the Royals recover from a 106-loss season and get into playoff contention.
The Royals were two games behind Cleveland in the AL Central and 3 1/2 games ahead of Boston for the final wild-card spot.
“You don’t really get surprised hearing that because that’s just who Sal is,” said Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. “He’s always a people person. I asked him how he did and he said he thinks he got 20 hits.
He enjoyed it. He loves that stuff. It’s great to see him doing what he does. It makes everyone smile.”
Perez, who became an American citizen in 2020, has two sons — Salvador Jr. and Johan — and a daughter, Paulina. This made his chance to bring joy to some young fans on a Thursday in Kansas City even more meaningful.
