KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Louisville Slugger® and MLB Network announced tonight that Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named an American League Silver SluggerTM Award winner for 2021. This marks Perez’s fourth such honor (also 2016, 2018, 2020), surpassing George Brett (3) for the most in franchise history since the award was introduced in 1980. He also became the 10th Major League catcher to win four or more Silver SluggerTM Awards and fifth to do so in the American League, joining Iván Rodríguez (7), Lance Parrish (6), Joe Mauer (5), and Jorge Posada (5).
Perez, who is also a seven-time All-Star and a five-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner, tied for the Major League lead with 48 home runs in 2021, becoming the first Royal to hold at least a share of the Majors lead in homers. He also led the big leagues with 121 RBI, becoming just the second Royal to do so, joining Hal McRae, who had a Majors-best 133 RBI in 1982. He is the sixth different player to lead the Majors in home runs and RBI in the last 30 years, joining Giancarlo Stanton in 2017, Chris Davis in 2013, Miguel Cabrera in 2012, Ryan Howard in 2006 and 2008 and Álex Rodríguez in 2002 and 2007. Perez became the second primary catcher to lead the Majors in HR and RBI, joining Johnny Bench, who did it in 1970 and 1972.
His 48 home runs were the most in a single season by a player who played at least 75% of his games at catcher, three more than the previous benchmark held by Bench, who hit 45 home runs in 1970. Salvy hit 33 home runs as a catcher—the other 15 came as a designated hitter—which fell just two shy of Iván Rodríguez’s American League record of 35 HR as a catcher, set in 1999, according to Elias.
Louisville Slugger® Silver Slugger™ Award winners are decided by a vote of MLB managers and coaches who select the players they determine to be the best offensive producers at each position in the American and National Leagues. Each team receives four (4) votes; the manager and three coaches of their choice. Votes are based on a combination of offensive statistics, including on-base percentage, OPS, OPS+, home runs, hits, RBI, batting average as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value. The accounting firm of Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP verifies the tabulation of balloting.
Below is a list of the 10 Royals to win a Louisville® Silver Slugger™ Award (instituted in 1980):
Salvador Perez – 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021 (catcher)
George Brett – 1980, 1985, 1988 (1980 & ’85 at third base, 1988 at first base)
Willie Wilson – 1980, 1982 (outfield)
Hal McRae – 1982 (designated hitter)
Frank White – 1986 (second base)
Gary Gaetti – 1995 (third base)
Dean Palmer – 1998 (third base)
Billy Butler – 2012 (designated hitter)
Kendrys Morales – 2015 (designated hitter)
Eric Hosmer – 2017 (first base)