Royals sign Salvador Perez to five-year contract

The Royals have signed Salvador Perez to a five-year deal, according to Jeff Passan. Jon Heyman reports the deal begins in 2017 and will pay Salvador Perez $52 million over those five seasons. The deal will keep Perez in a Royals uniform through 2021.

The 2015 World Series MVP was already signed to a long-term deal that was guaranteed through the 2016 season, with three club options through 2019. The original contract was signed back in February of 2012, after Salvador had played just 39 games in the Major League. That deal guaranteed $7 million over five seasons, with three club options that would pay him $3.75 million in 2017, $5 million in 2018, and $6 million in 2019, plus incentives.

As @JeffPassan said, in addition to guaranteeing 3 option years, royals added 36M in new $. Great player; right thing to do.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 1, 2016

The Royals recently confirmed they had opened talks with Perez to renegotiate the deal, while Salvy insists he is happy either way.

"That’s why I’ve got my agent," Perez said. "I’m going to talk to him. If something happens, great. If not, I’m still happy."

A six-year guaranteed deal keeps Salvador Perez in a Royals uniform through age 31. The 25-year old Perez is a three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner who is a career .279/.306/.431 hitter. His numbers have declined offensively in each of the last four seasons, although he did set a franchise record last season for home runs by a catcher with 21. Perez set a Major League record for most innings caught in a two-year period, including the post-season, for his deep playoff runs in 2014 and 2015.

UPDATE: We have contract details.

Perez's new money breaks down like this: $6M signing bonus, additional $4M in option years (total: $20.5M), $13M/year in 2020 and 2021.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 1, 2016