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Salvador Perez Becomes First Royals Player to Win Roberto Clemente Award

The longtime Royals catcher has helped organizations in the Kansas City community, as well as his hometown in Venezuela and in Colombia.

Madison Williams

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez speaks with the media after an ALDS game.
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez speaks with the media after an ALDS game. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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MLB announced on Monday that Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has won the 2024 Roberto Clemente award, which is given to the player whose humanitarian efforts off the field go beyond the rest.

Perez, who has played all of his 13 years with the Royals, is the first player in franchise history to win the award.

"When we do something, we do because it's coming from my heart," Perez said, via ESPN. "I don't like to do things because somebody ask me to do it. When I sit with my mom and want to do something, we just do. We don't have to post anything on social media. I don't like that. If I do, I do it for my heart. I want to make people happy."

Some of the efforts Perez has participated in include donating to various organizations in the Kansas City community, along with helping those in need of food and medical supplies in his hometown of Valencia, Venezuela. Perez and his mother, Yilda Diaz, help at least 2,000 households in his hometown each year.

Perez also helps with the Carlos Fortuna Foundation in Colombia after a minor league Royals pitcher who died of liver cancer in 2013. The organization helps parental education in Colombia.

Additionally, Perez has partnered with ALS organizations, such as Sarah's Soldiers, to help raise money to find a cure.

"Sometimes you want to rest," Perez said. "Even if you think one day every month, just one day every month. That's it. One day every month try to make some kid happy. Do something. Even get your social media, make people happy. Have a picture with somebody. Just one day every month. I think that's going to change the world."

In 158 games this season, Perez averaged .271/.330/.456. He had 160 hits with 58 runs, 104 RBI and 27 home runs.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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