KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Salvador Perez left the Royals’ doubleheader opener on Tuesday afternoon because of a left thumb sprain, according to the team. He suffered the injury while swinging the bat.
Perez, who was the designated hitter, was pulled for pinch-hitter Carlos Santana with the Royals trailing 3-0 and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Santana struck out and the Royals didn’t score that inning.
Between games of the doubleheader, the Royals placed Perez on the 10-day injured list and recalled catcher Sebastian Rivera from Double-A.