Royals put All-Star C Perez on 7-day concussion list

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals placed All-Star catcher Salvador Perez on the seven-day concussion list Monday, two days after he left a game against the Astros with what the club initially called a “non-concussive head impact.”

The Royals made the move before opening a three-game series against the Guardians. They selected the contract of Tyler Cropley from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move and transferred fellow catcher Freddy Fermin to the 60-day injured list.

Perez was hit in the facemask by a foul ball off the bat of Jose Altuve in the fifth inning of Saturday's game against Houston. The impact popped the mask off Perez, and the catcher initially told Royals trainer Kyle Turner that he was fine. But during a later at-bat, umpire John Libka bent down to check on Perez, who had begun to feel light-headed.

That's when Turner and Royals manager Matt Quatraro checked on him again and took him out of the game.

"As is protocol when you have a head impact, the next day you follow up with a concussion specialist," Quatraro said. “As they went through the testing, they found he did have a mild concussion.”

Quatraro said he hasn't given a thought to shutting down Perez, who was hitting .252 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs. But considering the club began the day 48-102 and, with five more losses, would set the franchise-record for futility, there is a chance the 33-year-old catcher will not return this season.

After their series against the Guardians, the Royals play three games in Houston and three in Detroit before finishing with three games against the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium.

“I certainly hope he returns,” Quatraro said. “There's a certain protocol now that he has shown symptoms. I always think about him coming back at the first possible minute. I don't know if there is a benefit (to shutting him down). I'd like to have him back.”

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