'Always smiling' Salvy an everyday All-Star for Royals 

It comes as no surprise that Salvador Perez made his eighth All-Star team and will represent the Royals as a reserve for the American League during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Seattle at T-Mobile Park.

Perez, 33, is the veteran leader of a young Royals club. The organization’s stalwart catcher. And the fourth captain in franchise history.

• MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: Tuesday on FOX, 8 p.m. ET

Along with being an All-Star in eight of his 12 Major League seasons (he missed all of 2019 with an elbow injury), Perez is a five-time Gold Glove winner, four-time Silver Slugger and World Series MVP, helping to deliver the Royals’ first championship in 30 years in 2015.

“When you think of the Royals, you think about Salvy,” pitcher Brady Singer said.

But beyond all the accolades, the potential Hall of Fame stats and the All-Star stars tattooed on his arm, Perez is known for his personality. When asked about Perez, Royals players, coaches and officials will speak about his positivity, his mentality and willingness to lead even as Kansas City has struggled since its title run nearly eight years ago.

“He always has a smile on his face in light of getting beat up back there or losing games,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “How much he cares about people around him really stands out. What he tries to do for the young players and for anybody in that clubhouse, he’s just genuinely a really good person.”

What’s it like to play with Perez? Let some of his teammates tell you:

Singer: “He’s just so vocal and happy. He’s always smiling. It really does help. We always talk about how much he enjoys the game, but he really does. Coming to the field every day, he loves it. He loves watching baseball. Talking baseball. This is our job, sometimes we don’t want to think about it all the time.

“But he is 100% about baseball, and even with all the success, all the accolades he’s had, he still loves it. And he’s also an incredible player still.”

Outfielder Edward Olivares: “When we say, ‘Play hard no matter what happens,’ he shows that. He tells me to have fun, just the other day he said that to me in the dugout.

“I thank God I get to play with him.”

Infielder Nicky Lopez: “I noticed [Dodgers manager] Dave Roberts tip his cap to Salvy the other day, and it just hit me again. You’re not seeing those managers tip their cap to everybody. My biggest takeaway is just seeing the respect that a lot of people around the game have for him.”

Reliever Carlos Hernández: “He really believes in me. He tells me that I can be good, I just have to work hard, concentrate more, work every day. Prepare. He shows me how to do that.”

Reliever Amir Garrett: “I’m really glad I was here for the captain ceremony [on Opening Day] because I’ve never seen anything like that. It was long overdue, so seeing him getting it this year was pretty sick. I got the chills for him. The way I feel, coming from a different organization, once you come here and you’re with him, you’re family.

“He’s a great veteran, great person. The way he carries himself off the field is why I think he’s going to be in the Hall of Fame. His talents on the field, but the way he treats people. He’s an amazing teammate.”

Closer Scott Barlow: “I’ll tell you about when I first saw Salvy in person. It was Spring Training, right after they won the World Series and I was still in the Dodgers’ organization. We were staying across the street from Westgate [in Glendale, Ariz.], and there’s a Chipotle there. So I walk in, and I see Salvy, who’s giant, like way bigger in person than what you see on TV. I was, like, starstruck. He was walking out while I was walking in, and I remember how friendly he was to the staff, thanking them. I think everybody in the room recognized him.

“Years later, throwing to him now, it’s so cool. He’s the best ‘lead by example’ guy I’ve ever been around, where you won’t know if his last game was good or bad, whether he was physically hurting or anything. He gets here, he gets his work done, he does what he needs to do to get ready for the game.

“Whatever he says to me on the mound, he says it with pure conviction and confidence. And when he walks back, you’re like, ‘I got this.’”