Perez capped off a three-run uprising in the opening inning with a 369-foot (105.2 mph EV) two-run shot off of right-hander Jack Leiter. He added an RBI double in the fourth inning that made it a 4-0 ballgame and then crushed a 386-foot (105.3 mph EV) solo shot to lead off the sixth inning that extended the Royals’ edge to 6-1. Even with this monster day at the dish though, the 35-year-old backstop is slashing a disappointing .240/.279/.395 with only eight homers and 38 RBI on the season.

Perez hit a two-run homer off Mark Leiter Jr. in the ninth inning, but the Royals still trailed by four runs after that dinger. He’s homered six times in 2025, and two of those have come in the month of June.

Perez had eight hits in his previous five games, but this one was a total bunt. It’s his first four-strikeout game of this year and eighth of his career. Statcast thinks he’s been quite unlucky to hit .228/.264/.344 in 255 plate appearances, but he’s one of the big reasons the Royals are struggling to score. In fact, Perez has scored a total of 13 runs in 61 games this season.