Salvy Perez joins Kansas City kids' backyard baseball game

For more than a decade, kids all across Kansas City have likely envisioned themselves as Royals star Salvador Perez while playing baseball in their backyard.

On Thursday, a group of kids didn’t have to imagine that Perez was in their backyard; he was there, in the flesh and ready to hit.

Perez was driving through a Kansas City neighborhood when he spotted 9-year-old Cameron Lard and his friends hitting a ball around. The nine-time All-Star pulled his car over and shouted toward the youngsters: “Hey guys, can I play?”

The kids couldn’t believe their eyes. Cameron ran inside and cried out: “Salvy freaking Perez is in the backyard.”

Lesley Lard, Cameron’s mother, shared a video on social media of Perez stepping in to hit and joking with the boys who had backed up to the street that they were playing too deep in the “outfield.” Perez then smacked a line drive and chugged around the bases, laughing all the way.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Lesley told The Kansas City Star. “We actually have a Kansas City Monarchs player that lives with a host family in our neighborhood as well. And he came and played with the boys a few weeks ago, and we all couldn’t believe that. Thought it was the coolest thing. And then this happens, and it’s just like, I don’t know, Salvy is just like, another level, you know?"

Perez then suggested that everyone gather for a group photo. Just a group of kids -- and a 34-year-old World Series-winning catcher -- enjoying the game of baseball together.

“They’ll be telling everybody at school today,” Lesley said. “My son said that no one will believe him, so I sent the picture to his teacher, so that way she could show that it actually happened.”