THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL December 10: Royals catcher Salvador Perez wins 2020 Comeback Player award

A rare combination of power and defense behind the plate, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez was named the American League’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 on this day in béisbol after missing the entire previous season with an elbow injury.

A tear of the UCL in his right elbow required Tommy John surgery, but Perez bounced back quickly in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He only played in 37 of the team’s 60 games but hit .333 with 11 homers, 32 RBI and a .986 OPS.

The Venezuelan native came back stronger in 2021, leading MLB with 48 home runs and 121 RBI while playing 161 games — 40 as a DH.

Perez, a five-time Gold Glove winner and the 2015 World Series MVP in the Royals’ win over the New York Mets, later became a part-time first baseman in addition to his catching duties, allowing him to play more games and keep his bat in the lineup.

Also on this day: In 2009, Braves reliever Rafael Soriano was dealt to Tampa Bay and became the Rays’ closer, saving an AL-leading 45 games in 2010.

After signing with the Yankees as a free agent the following year, the Dominican fireman was forced to fill in as the team’s closer when the legendary Mariano Rivera missed most of the 2012 season with a serious knee injury.

Soriano was more than up to the task, saving 42 games for New York.

Keith Allison on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration