Salvador Perez Out Eight Weeks Following Thumb Surgery

The struggling Kansas City Royals have been dealt another major blow in what has been a  trying season.

All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, the longtime heart and soul player of the franchise, underwent surgery on a torn UCL in his left thumb and will be out of action long-term. Per Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Radio, manager Mike Matheny was given an eight-week recovery timeline for Perez.

Perez is struggling this season with a .211 batting average and a .680 OPS. If the season ended today, these would both mark career lows for the seven-time All-Star.

Last season, Perez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led all players in the Majors with 48 home runs apiece. That total of 48 also marked the most ever by a catcher in a single season (Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench previously held the record with 45 in 1970).

Online/mobile sports betting is expected to launch in the state of Kansas soon, and it could very well go live at some point in 2022. Caesars, BetMGM, FanDuel and DraftKings are among the prominent sportsbooks that would presumably launch in Kansas.

Once it goes live, Caesars has some promo codes in Bet Kansas for new customers, including a risk-free bet which would likely be worth up to $1,500. Sports fans in Kansas would have the options to bet on nearby teams like the Royals and Kansas City Chiefs in Missouri.

Perez obviously wasn’t going to repeat his career season, but nobody could have expected him to bat 56 points below his career batting average (.267). At the same time, baseball’s law of averages suggest that Perez will eventually get his hitting going.

Even if he doesn’t find his game at the plate in 2022, there’s no way of replacing his catching defense, strong clubhouse presence and leadership. The Royals will just have to find a way to get by without Perez in an utterly difficult 2022 campaign.

Reliever Josh Staumont Placed On IL, Recall Two Pitchers

Kansas City announced Sunday that reliable reliever Josh Staumont has been placed on the IL due to neck strain.

Pitcher Foster Griffin was optioned to the Triple A Omaha Storm Chasers, and the Royals recalled pitchers Jackson Kowar and Matt Peacock.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Staumont has been one of the few bright spots for the Royals in a frustrating season. Prior to his injury, Staumont pitched to a 3.81 ERA and racked up 32 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched.

Staumont has been one of the Royals’ most consistent pitchers since joining the roster full time in 2020. In 64 game appearances last year, Staumont posted an excellent 2.88 ERA and struck out 72 batters in 65.2 innings pitched.

Without Perez and Staumont, the job of Matheny and company becomes considerably more difficult. The Royals have struggled across the board this season, and now they have to endure at least two weeks of no Staumont on top of Perez’s absence.

As the Royals prepare a giant fire sale, Staumont could be an enticing trade target for several teams looking to bolster their bullpen ahead of the postseason.

Royals reportedly Seeking “A Buyer For” Veteran Andrew Benintendi

The Royals will most certainly be one of the top sellers between now and the Aug. 2 trade deadline, and stalwart outfielder Andrew Benintendi is a virtual lock to get dealt at some point.

According to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, the AL Central club is “actively seeking a buyer for” the 28-year-old Benintendi. A 2018 World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox,  Benintendi is eligible to enter free agency after the 2022 season.

Benintendi was traded to the Royals ahead of the 2021 season following a successful five-year stint with the Red Sox. Aside from his elite defense, the 2021 Gold Glove Award winner hits very well for contact and should be of interest to just about any playoff contending team.

On June 27, the Royals began the fire sale by dealing away standout slugger Carlos Santana to the Seattle Mariners.

At this point, it’s only a matter of time until the Royals also trade away Benintendi. They are nowhere close to a playoff spot but have a tremendous opportunity to restock a deep farm system that was ranked eighth by MLB.com back in March.

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