Salvy asymptomatic after positive COVID-19 test

KANSAS CITY -- Royals All-Star and Gold Glove catcher Salvador Perez told reporters on Saturday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Perez also indicated he has felt no symptoms, admitting he was surprised by the positive results. Perez was tested twice in the past few days to confirm that the results were not false positives.

“I don’t feel a thing,” Perez said in a Zoom call. “I don’t know where I got this. Everyone in my family is safe, everyone was negative when they did the test. I was in Miami [during the MLB pause] and there were a lot of cases there. But I don’t feel a thing.

“I’m here in my house [in Kansas City], and hopefully everything passes super fast and I can be back with my teammates.”

The next step is for Perez to be tested again, which will happen sometime next week. He will need to have consecutive negative tests before he can join Summer Camp, a process that could keep him away from Kauffman Stadium for at least a week, maybe longer.

But Perez said he is happy his positive result came now, and not once the regular season started.

“It would have been hard for it to happen right when the season starts or the middle of the season,” Perez said, “because you miss a lot of games. But this way, hopefully, I’ll be back soon and enjoy Opening Day. And have fun.

“I’ll be super happy to be back. I think we’ll have a great team, and I can’t wait to be back.”

Royals general manager Dayton Moore praised Perez for coming forward with his test results.

“Salvy wanted to get out in front of this,” Moore said. “That he wanted to speak personally of this speaks volumes about his character. Everyone wants to see Salvy back. Everyone knows how much he loves this game and loves to play.”

Moore said he was encouraged that all of the players in camp are healthy.

“Every one of our players and our staff are asymptomatic,” Moore said. “... We’ve had some players test positive for the antibodies, which means they’ve been in contact with it over the last two or 2 1/2 months. I don’t want to discuss numbers.

“But I’m very positive about where we’re headed.”

Perez will continue to work out at home as he waits to be cleared. He has been given a program by trainers to follow, and he will be able to throw and hit off a tee.

It's been a frustrating stretch for Perez, who missed all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Then the pandemic shut baseball down for over three months, and now this.

“It’s surprising to me,” Perez said. “But it is what it is. ... You have to stay positive no matter what.”

Perez also had a message for Royals fans.

“I want to say to the people, ‘Wear your mask,’” Perez said. “You don’t know who has it so wear your mask. Be safe.”