Gallagher stays 'prepared' as Salvy's backup

KANSAS CITY -- Staying ready behind a catcher who rarely wants a day off behind the plate is tough to ask and even tougher to do, but Royals backup Cam Gallagher seems to have it mastered.

The 28-year-old Gallagher knows his role as the No. 2 catcher behind All-Star Salvador Perez. Gallagher slots in the lineup and behind the plate two or three times a week to give Perez a day off his feet, but despite the part-time duty, Gallagher is ready every day -- and has impressed in a limited role so far this season.

“If I’m not playing every day, I want to be the most prepared,” Gallagher said prior to Friday's game against the Twins at Kauffman Stadium. “That’s my thing. If I’m going to back up Sal the whole year, which I’m going to be, I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help win the game.”

On Thursday, in the Royals’ 6-5 win over Minnesota in the opener of a four-game set, Gallagher knocked two singles. On the first hit, he eventually scored on Andrew Benintendi's hit-by-pitch. The second hit put a runner in scoring position for Whit Merrifield’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Gallagher has been lauded for his defense this season, too: In 110 2/3 innings, has three defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs.

So much about baseball is rhythm-based; players need reps in the field and at the plate to get their timing down, so limited playing time can interfere with that. Gallagher has recognized what he can get from a game, even when someone else is playing. It’s essential to being an effective understudy -- and handle a role while watching, not doing.

“Behind the plate, I know these pitchers pretty well, so just trying to, even when I’m not playing, watch the game, and in my head call a game,” Gallagher said. “Try to stay prepared and stay locked in at all times. You never know if someone goes down, whatever it might be, if Sal needs a break, I’ll be ready whenever the time comes.”

“It really is the job description,” manager Mike Matheny said a few weeks ago. “You got to be ready. Easier said than done, but he’s done a great job of it.”

On days he’s not in the lineup, Gallagher works with bench coach Pedro Grifol on blocking, receiving, throwing to bases and more. Gallagher will also catch bullpen sessions in the afternoon, making it as game-like as he can, whether it’s keeping the intensity up, working on his footwork or blocking and framing.

“Just trying to get in that work when you’re not in the lineup, especially in my shoes when I’m playing once or twice a week, it’s not time to just sit back and relax,” Gallagher said. “When you’re not playing, you got to do the work to maintain your body and keep it going, so that way if you do have to come in and start for a couple weeks at a time or whatever it is, my body’s going to pick back up and it’s going to be an easy transition to play every day.”

Royals complete Benintendi trade

Kansas City sent Minor League right-handers Luis De La Rosa and Grant Gambrell to the Red Sox as the players to be named in the offseason trade for outfielder Andrew Benintendi.

De La Rosa, 18, was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018 and pitched in the Dominican Summer League in ’19, posting a 2.33 ERA (10 earned runs in 38 2/3 innings). He had 52 strikeouts to go with seven walks.

Gambrell, 23, was the Royals’ third-round Draft pick in 2019 out of Oregon State. He has a 4.37 ERA across five starts this season for High-A Quad Cities, with 18 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.

Benintendi recently won the Royals’ player of the month award after hitting .340 in May. Kansas City also sent outfielder Franchy Cordero to the Red Sox, as well as outfielder Khalil Lee to the Mets, in that three-team trade on Feb. 10.

Royals rumblings

• All three of the Royals’ home runs on Thursday came on the first pitch, marking the first time the team hit three first-pitch homers in one game since April 20, 2007, when Mike Sweeney, Mark Grudzielanek and Reggie Sanders did it. Of the club's 54 home runs this season, 19 (35.2 percent) have come on the first pitch, the highest total in the Majors, one more than Atlanta’s 18, entering Friday.

• Royals prospect Jeison Guzmán homered to help the Dominican Republic win the opening game of the Super Round at the Americas Qualifier in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday afternoon. The Dominicans beat Venezuela, 14-4, and can guarantee at least a third-place finish with a win over Canada on Saturday. The first-place finisher qualifies for the Olympics, while the second- and third-place teams advance to the Final Qualifier for a chance to compete for the final spot in the Tokyo Games. The 22-year-old Guzmán has a 1.087 OPS for High-A Quad Cities this season.