KANSAS CITY, MO (November 5, 2020) – Louisville Slugger ® and MLB Network announced tonight that Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named an American League Silver Slugger™ Award winner for 2020. This marks Perez’s third such honor (also 2016, 2018), joining Hall of Famer George Brett as the only other Royal to garner three Silver Slugger™ Awards (which were established in 1980). He also becomes the 12th Major League catcher to earn the award three times or more and first since Joe Mauer (2006, 2008-10, 2013).
Perez, who is also a six-time All-Star and a five-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner, set career highs in batting average (.333) and slugging percentage (.633) in 2020, and despite playing in just 37 of 60 games, led the Royals in homers (11) and go-ahead RBI (8), while ranking second in RBI (32) and extra-base hits (23). His 11 home runs were tied for third most in Major League history by a player who appeared in 37 games or fewer, trailing only Frank Thomas (12 HR in 34 games) in 2005 (when he battled multiple injuries) and Ted Williams (13 HR in 37 games) in 1953 (when he missed most of the season after serving in the Korean War). All 11 of his home runs came as a catcher, matching JT Realmuto for the most in the Majors as a catcher this season, while Perez’s batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.681) and OPS (1.048) as a catcher were all tops in the Majors (min. 100 AB).
Perez returned to the Royals after missing the entire 2019 season due to “Tommy John surgery” on March 6, 2019. He was on the Injured List this season from Aug. 21-Sept. 11 due to swelling in his left eye. From the time of his return to the end of the season, he ranked tied for second in the Majors in RBI (20), extra-base hits (13) and total bases (50), was third in slugging (.806) and tied for third in homers (7). He led the Majors in batting average (.451, 23-for-51) from Sept. 11-24.
Louisville Slugger® Silver Slugger™ Award winners are decided by a vote of MLB managers and coaches who select the players they determine to be the best offensive producers at each position in the American and National Leagues. Each team receives four (4) votes; the manager and three coaches of their choice. They base their votes on a combination of offensive statistics including batting average, on-base percentage, runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage, as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value. The accounting firm of Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP verifies the tabulation of balloting.
Below is a list of the 10 Royals to win a Louisville Silver Slugger Award (instituted in 1980):
George Brett – 1980, 1985, 1988 (1980 & ’85 at third base, 1988 at first base)
Salvador Perez – 2016, 2018, 2020 (catcher)
Willie Wilson – 1980, 1982 (outfield)
Hal McRae – 1982 (designated hitter)
Frank White – 1986 (second base)
Gary Gaetti – 1995 (third base)
Dean Palmer – 1998 (third base)
Billy Butler – 2012 (designated hitter)
Kendrys Morales – 2015 (designated hitter)
Eric Hosmer – 2017 (first base)
