KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named a finalist for the 2021 Louisville Silver Slugger Award, as announced by Louisville Slugger today.
Perez is one of three finalists among American League catchers, joining Tampa Bay’s Mike Zunino and New York’s Gary Sánchez. Finalists are based on votes cast by managers and coaches in each league, to determine the best offensive producers at each position.
The Louisville Silver Slugger Award winners will be announced on MLB Network during a one-hour telecast beginning at 5 p.m. CT on Nov. 11.
Perez, a three-time Louisville Silver Slugger winner, tied for the Major League lead with 48 home runs in 2021, becoming the first Royal to hold at least a share of the Majors lead in home runs. Salvy also led the Majors with 121 RBI, becoming just the second Royal to do so, joining Hal McRae, who had a Majors-best 133 RBI in 1982. He became the sixth different player to lead the Majors in home runs and RBI in the last 30 years, joining Giancarlo Stanton in 2017, Chris Davis in 2013, Miguel Cabrera in 2012, Ryan Howard in 2006 and 2008 and Álex Rodríguez in 2002 and 2007. Perez became the second primary catcher to lead the Majors in HR and RBI, joining Johnny Bench, who did it in 1970 and 1972.
Perez’s 48 home runs were the most in a single season by a player who played at least 75% of his games at catcher, three more than the previous benchmark held by Bench, who hit 45 home runs in 1970. Salvy hit 33 home runs as a catcher—the other 15 came as a designated hitter—which fell just two shy of Iván Rodríguez’s American League record of 35 HR as a catcher, set in 1999, according to Elias.
Should Perez win the award (which was established in 1980), it would be his fourth career honor, following 2016, 2018 and 2020, which would pass George Brett for the most in franchise history. He would become the 10th player to win at least four Louisville Silver Slugger Awards as a catcher, and would be the first American League catcher to earn the honor in consecutive seasons since Joe Mauer won it in three straight years from 2008-10.
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