Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes knows a thing or two about what Salvador Perez just did across the street
Kansas City is home to some of the best athletes in the world in their respective sports, whether it’s Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs or Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez with the Royals.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took to social media Saturday to celebrate Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who passed George Brett to become the Royals’ all-time home run leader. Perez now sits at 318 career home runs, surpassing Brett’s 317, and Mahomes was quick to acknowledge the accomplishment.
Mahomes posted on X to congratulate Perez, writing, “Let’s go, Salvador Perez, congrats!”
If anyone in Kansas City understands what it means to sit atop franchise record books, it’s Mahomes. The Chiefs quarterback leads Kansas City in every major statistical category for a quarterback with 35,000 passing yards, 267 touchdowns, 3,093 completions, and a 66% career completion percentage, all in just 126 career games. He also holds the franchise record for most wins by a quarterback with 95 and the best win percentage.
Perez joins elite company in Royals history
Perez’s career numbers tell the story of one of the most productive players to ever wear a Royals uniform. He carries a .261 career batting average with 1,060 RBIs and 1,792 hits. Some would call him the greatest Royal ever, and the argument holds weight.
The player he passed, George Brett, remains one of baseball’s all-time greats. Brett is a Hall of Famer, a former MVP, a 13-time All-Star, a World Series champion, a Gold Glover, a 3-time Silver Slugger, a 3-time batting title winner, and an ALCS MVP. Brett finished with 3,154 career hits, 1,596 RBIs, and a .305 career batting average. Those numbers paint a picture of a generational talent.
Perez being mentioned alongside Brett speaks to what he’s built over a long career in Kansas City. Brett is probably still the greatest Royal ever, but Perez belongs in the top three on that list. Nobody can take that away from him.
The next record Perez should chase
The next franchise record Perez should target is hits. He currently sits 6th all-time on the Royals’ list with 1,792. Ahead of him are Hal McRae at 1,924, Willie Wilson at 1,968, and Amos Otis at 1,977 in 3rd place. If Perez plays a few more seasons, a top-three finish in franchise history for hits is realistic.
Catching Brett’s 3,154 career hits feels impossible at this point, but Perez doesn’t need that record to cement his legacy. He’s the best catcher to ever wear a Royals uniform and arguably one of the best catchers of this modern era. Even Mahomes, who knows a thing or two about rewriting record books, felt compelled to tip his cap.