Salvador Perez, the 36-year-old Royals catcher and designated hitter, pulled off something truly wild on Sunday: he recorded his first stolen base since 2021. This isn’t just any stolen base; it’s a monumental moment for a guy Statcast ranks as MLB’s slowest base runner.
The Play That Shook the Basepaths
Talk about seeing an opportunity and taking it! In the second inning against the Tigers, with Jacob Waguespack on the mound, Detroit made a critical mistake. They didn’t even bother to hold Perez at first. That was all the opening he needed. Our guy got a fantastic jump and took off for second, ending his run with an awkward, head-first dive. The best part? There wasn’t even a throw. The man just took the bag, plain and simple.
Why This Is More Than Just a Steal
You know what’s even crazier? Perez was absolutely pumped after that swipe. And who could blame him? Before this game, he’d only managed six stolen bases across a whopping 15 seasons in the big leagues. Seriously, six! So, yeah, maybe the Tigers weren’t wrong to completely disregard him as a threat on the base paths. But sometimes, aggressive base running pays off big. It certainly did here, because Perez ended up scoring later in the inning on a Kyle Isbel single. That’s what speed do, right? Even if that “speed” is incredibly surprising.
It was a wild play that showed you can never count anyone out, even if the numbers say they’re the slowest in the game. What’s next for Perez? Maybe another five years before the next one, but for now, we’ll just enjoy the memory of that legendary slide.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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