Salvador Pérez Relives Venezuela’s Famous 2026 World Baseball Classic Triumph

Leading by example exemplifies who Kansas City Royals and Team Venezuela catcher Salvador Perez is on the field and why he is a champion.  

Perez backstopped Team Venezuela to victory beating the USA 3-2 in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) where he managed hard throwing Eduardo Rodriguez and the five relievers that followed while he contributed offensively with a single and a run scored. 

Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom before the Kansas City Royals afternoon matinee versus the Seattle Mariners on Sunday May 3rd, 2026, the nine-time all-star, five-time silver slugger winner, 2015 World Series winner, 2015 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and now 2026 WBC champion along with being Team Venezuela’s team captain reflected on the achievement.

"Yeah super excited, you know when you play for your country it’s just different, super exciting, it’s a big moment for the country, for everybody, for the people, for Venezuela, it’s an exciting moment [and] I’m never going to forget about that it was kind of like playing in the World Series Game 7. It was a great night," he told SportsBoom.us. 

Team Venezuela WBC champions

It marks the first-ever WBC title for the country and qualifies the country for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where baseball will feature as a sport. Team Venezuela had to overcome three-time champion Japan in the quarterfinal which they did, then come from behind against Team Italy. 

A key figure in the victory was Venezuelan third baseman and current Royals teammate Maikel Garcia who scored the winning run on a single to give the team the lead and ultimately the victory. 

In addition, Venezuelan teammate Angel Zerpa, and former Royals teammate got the team out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning to keep the score at 2-1 proving to play pivotal roles in the team’s overall success. Furthermore, Team Venezuela got a run in the ninth of the WBC final after the US tied it in the eighth inning speaks to the team’s resilience and character having to face and overcome some adversity. 

The 15-year MLB veteran who has played his entire career with the Royals, said: "Yeah, 100 per cent. I think that they are super proud, super happy. I think that this is something Venezuela really needed I really do. Just everybody knows what’s going on for the last 25 years they can’t hide it, so I think that they are super happy and now I think it is the right time.”

Furthermore, the 35-year-old native of Valencia, Venezuela was glad to share the moments with Garcia and Zerpa, speaking to SportsBoom before the Royals’ 4-1 win over the Mariners where he started as a designated hitter (DH) hitting in the clean up spot, saying: "It’s good to play with them and I think that they performed really well and I still think Maikel is one of the best players we have." 

“Angel Zerpa is one of the best lefties that we have, and they both worked really hard so I’m super excited for the job they did at the WBC.” 

The 6’2” 255-pound catcher added he is excited at the prospect of participation in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles saying: “I think that it’s going to be super exciting to have the opportunity to go there. It will be the first Olympics so I’m super excited to see how it will work and how to plan for that.”  

Focused on winning

Right now, for Perez who can be used in a variety of different positions such as catcher, first baseman, and as a DH, just wants to help the team win. 

Perez who wears number 13 and has the c embroidered on his dark blue road uniform for the Kansas City Royals. 

“I just do what I need to help my team to win. It can different one day you know it can be hitting one day anything to win.” 

Furthermore, he scored the team’s third run of the game as he beat out a throw from Seattle Mariners’ center fielder Julio Rodriguez scoring on a sacrifice fly from Royals’ left fielder Isaac Collins.  

Starting as a DH, he dove head-first into home to beat the throw of the catcher and get his hand on the plate much to the displeasure of the majority of the 39,408 people which made up the home crowd at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Wash. Perez and the rest of the team hope to continue their winning ways as the 162-game season continues. 

He now has five home runs and 16 RBIs for the season after another key contribution in the Royals’ strong run of form, which has seen them win five straight games. Following their three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City have surged into contention and sit just 0.5 games back in the American League Central, where the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers are tied for the division lead.

In the second game of their crucial four-game series against the Indians at Kauffman Stadium, Perez singled on a line drive to centre field to bring home the team’s first two runs in the bottom of the first inning, helping set the tone in a 5-3 victory over the AL Central leaders.