AL DIVISION SERIES: ROYALS VS YANKEES

October 8, 2024

Salvador Perez

Kauffman Stadium

Kansas City Royals

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. It was kind of a long road trip, 17 days. Just wondering what it's been like for you.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Good. You know, we're in postseason, so pretty good. Excited that we got back home.

Q. Anything stand out from that?

SALVADOR PEREZ: No. Excited to be back. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Q. About tomorrow, you have a lot of guys with playoff experience on this team but only you with the Royals. Wondering what you have told people or what you anticipate about --

SALVADOR PEREZ: Have fun and enjoy. It's going to be a lot of people here.

Now the boos are going to be for them, not for us like it was in New York. Super excited. The fans that supported us all season now, now I can't wait for tomorrow.

Q. The feelings of 2014 and 2015, is that part of your excitement, the way that felt then, to be able to be back in this?

SALVADOR PEREZ: Yeah, that's one of the -- I want to see the stadium full like it was in 2014 and 2015 and just tell these guys to have fun and enjoy.

Q. How helpful is it to be able to have support from veterans who have had postseason experience, especially when you guys are trying to lead the younger guys on the team?

SALVADOR PEREZ: I think it helps a little bit, get some good at-bats from the veteran guys that have been in the postseason before. Anything that I can get from a veteran guy to help, I think it's good.

But I think it's good. Anything to help.

Q. I'm wondering what you remember about the atmospheres here in 2014 and 2015.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Everything. It feels like yesterday. I know that it's nine years, but now that I'm in postseason, it feels like yesterday. Super excited for how loud it's going to be tomorrow. Super excited to be back home.

Q. You guys offensively have -- kept the line going is kind of the term you guys have used. What have you seen from the offense, and how important will it be to get Bobby and Vinnie to be a part of that going forward?

SALVADOR PEREZ: They compete every day. They prepare every day. They give everything they have to try to help the team to win. It's pretty good. I think we just need to concentrate day by day, at-bat, every at-bat, and I think everything is going to come good for us.

Q. Have the young guys on the team asked you about what the experience is like playing in the postseason here, and what have you told them?

SALVADOR PEREZ: Have fun, it's going to happen super quick. Enjoy the moment, have fun, and don't try to do too much. After the first pitch, it's the same game. Just have fun, enjoy. One homer, it's going to count as one run. It's just have fun and play the game.

Q. What do you think about Maikel? He was struggling a lot in September but the playoffs have started and he's really turned it on.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Pretty good. He's ready. He played in the playoffs before in Venezuela, in the finals in Venezuela, so he's ready. I don't think he's afraid of anything. It's good for us. He tries to help the team to win.

Q. What's that atmosphere like in Venezuela playing in those games?

SALVADOR PEREZ: You should ask him. I don't know, I never played a final in Venezuela.

Q. Jazz Chisholm said it was luck yesterday that you won. What was your reaction to him saying that?

SALVADOR PEREZ: I don't worry about it. What's the next question?

Q. One other memory thing, the night of the Wild Card game in 2014, did you feel that changed everything for the team, for you guys, the way you guys won and advanced?

SALVADOR PEREZ: In '14? Yeah, I think -- I think that helped. What do you mean?

Q. Was it as exciting to you as it was to the fans?

SALVADOR PEREZ: Yeah, it was exciting for everybody. After you win a playoff game at home, walk off, it was 2014, I think everybody was excited.

Q. Bobby hasn't hit very well so far in this New York series. Sometimes I think he feels like he's got the weight of the whole team on his back. What advice would you have for him to get home here and --

SALVADOR PEREZ: Yeah, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Take what they give to you and let the guy behind you do his job. The same to Vinnie. I don't think they try to do too much, first time, playoff. They learn how to play in playoff, and I think he's going to be fine. He's the best player we have.

Q. How important has it been, everyone else has hit behind them and picked up? You guys won one of the games and almost won the other game. Everyone else is doing their part right now.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Yeah, 100 percent. We're trying to do a little bit to help with the win. I think we play really good right now.

Q. What do you expect from Seth Lugo tomorrow against this lineup, his best assets?

SALVADOR PEREZ: I expect to win. That's the way we have to think about it. I'm not going to say the opposite. He's a veteran guy, he knows how to pitch in the Big Leagues. He has proved that all season long. So I think he's going to be ready. I expect to win, everything we play in playoff.