PT TOMORROW: AL Central -- Catching up (and down), across the division

Kansas City Royals

AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020, Salvador Perez (C, KC; pictured above) sits atop the AL catcher pool, which was recently covered by Matt Cederholm in the Market Pulse column. After Tommy John surgery cost Perez the 2019 season, he weathered a positive COVID-19 test along with an eye infection while posting a .986 OPS across his 150 AB during 2020. That smallish sample was helped by an abnormally high 38% h% delivering a .333 batting average (some 60 points above his career norm). Even so, his underlying indicators (HctX, xPX) look strong. 

Perez’s counting numbers also benefit from his large playing time allocation; he averaged 517 AB per season from 2013-2018, primarily due to his strong skills, but perhaps...

Almost!

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