Salvador Perez was an MLB All-Star for the third consecutive year in 2015. The Kansas City Royals catcher has another accolade to add to his resume: World Series MVP.
The 25-year-old didn't have the greatest showing in the postseason in the ALDS and ALCS. He batted just .196 in 11 games against the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays, although he did hit four home runs and six RBI.
However, the World Series was a different story. On top of bringing his unrivaled defense and game-calling to the Fall Classic, Perez batted .364/.391/.455 and was named the MVP of the series.
Most Valuable Perez. Your 2015 #WorldSeries MVP, pres. by @chevrolet. pic.twitter.com/hI2I8JRwpF
— Royals (@Royals) November 2, 2015
.@SalvadorPerez15 wins #WorldSeries MVP, presented by @Chevrolet. pic.twitter.com/K7FMU6kXc9
— MLB (@MLB) November 2, 2015
Perez was responsible for bringing home Eric Hosmer on the top of the ninth inning of the series-clinching Game 5 when he grounded out to third base. Hosmer's heads up baserunning was clutch in helping tie the game, but Perez put the ball in play and allowed that to happen.
He then got the rally started in the 12th inning with a single off Addison Reed. Manager Ned Yost took Perez out of the game for pinch runner Jarrod Dyson, and Dyson's baserunning abilities help the Royals score the go-ahead run.
"He just had a phenomenal series," Yost told ESPN's Christina Kahrl. "I think if I had one regret during the whole playoffs, [it] was I had to pinch run for Sal there in that inning. But it opened up the door for us to score five. I really wish that Sal could have been out there to jump in [closer Wade Davis'] arms when we got the final out."
Perez became the first catcher to win the World Series MVP award since Pat Borders of the Toronto Blue Jays took it home in 1992. He's also the seventh catcher in MLB history to win it along with Borders, Gene Tenace (1972 Oakland Athletics), Johnny Bench (1973 Cincinnati Reds), Steve Yeager (1981 Los Angeles Dodgers), Darrell Porter (1982 St. Louis Cardinals) and Rick Dempsey (1983 Baltimore Orioles), according to Kahrl.
Perez caught every inning of the 2015 MLB playoffs aside from last night's bottom of the 12th because he was taken out for Dyson. Drew Butera finished off the job for the workhorse, allowing Perez to see the biggest victory of his career without a mask on and among his teammates in the dugout.
It must have felt nice for Perez not having to squat or call pitches and instead soak in the World Series win from a different perspective.
