TORONTO -- This Royals team has a young and fun homegrown core. They spent money to bring in seasoned veterans to raise the expectations on the field and in the clubhouse. Both have contributed to a winning first month of the season.

And yet, one of the players standing out even more than the rest is the veteran who has been here forever, who has been through it all, and who has consistently stated his desire to bring winning baseball back to Kansas City.

Salvador Perez is having some fun this year.

The Royals’ captain began May much like he ended April, with another RBI and extending his career-best on-base streak to 21 games in the Royals’ 6-1 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday at the Rogers Centre, helping Kansas City win its first rubber match game of the season in five tries.

“Knowing [Perez] was on those teams that went to the playoffs, probably felt a little different for him last year and [for] a couple of years,” Michael Massey said after hitting his second homer in as many days to give the Royals a five-run cushion in the eighth inning. “But he stuck with it. He bought into the process. And he’s certainly leading us to that winning culture. Hopefully we can continue to play well and make Sal happy.

“Because when Sal’s happy, everyone’s happy.”

Perez’s 27 RBIs this year lead the American League, and his on-base streak is four games longer than his previous high of 17 games from Aug. 22-Sept. 13, 2012. He hasn’t struck out in 36 plate appearances -- since April 21 against the Orioles -- and has nearly as many walks (10) as he does strikeouts (13). His .355 average ranks first among AL hitters and his 1.009 OPS ranks third.

“I’m just trying to do my job and help my team win,” Perez said. “You guys know me, I like to swing a lot. But it’s been pretty good. … Don’t try to swing at bad pitches. Know who’s behind me, if they’re going to pitch to me or not, try to be a little more patient.”

He’s played through injuries already, including a collision in mid-April and back tightness on Monday, only to return quickly after and silence any doubts about his health.

“Who knows where we’d be without him?” manager Matt Quatraro said. “In the clubhouse, behind the plate, at the plate. It’s the best I’ve seen him in the year-plus I’ve been here. Leading the league in hitting at his age, big clutch RBIs, it’s impressive.”

On Wednesday, Perez was back behind the plate for the first time this series and caught another brilliant pitching performance, with Royals starter Seth Lugo tossing seven innings of one-run ball with two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.

Lugo now has more strikeouts in his last two starts (17) than his first five combined (14), and his ERA dropped to 1.60 through seven starts in ‘24. Six of those have been quality starts.

“I’m just filling up the strike zone and making the batter have to respect that I’m coming at you, I’m not going to pitch around guys,” Lugo said.

“It’s easy to catch a guy like that,” Perez added. “You put your glove up, close your eyes, and you know the ball’s going to be there.”

Lugo was locked in a pitchers' duel with Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, who had a no-hitter going through five innings, but the Royals knew that with Lugo on the mound, all they needed was a couple runs and good defense.

The latter came throughout the game -- highlighted by Bobby Witt Jr.’s throw from his knees to get Bo Bichette out on a grounder up the middle -- while the offense came in the sixth. Kyle Isbel stroked a leadoff double into the left field corner for the first hit of the game. The top of the order then made it count.

Maikel Garcia laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Isbel to third, and Witt singled up the middle to score the first run of the game. Witt went to third on Vinnie Pasquantino’s double and scored on Perez’s single.

The Royals recorded a franchise-record 17 wins in April. They began May on the same path. Anchored by Perez, they have no plans of slowing down.

“Every time we win, you’re going to feel different,” Perez said. “That’s why we’re here. We’re going to continue to do that because we’ve got a lot of good guys in here, and we’re going to keep doing our best to get back to the playoffs.”