Royals catcher Salvador Perez lay on his back on the dirt beside home plate, his left thumb pointed up as he locked eyes with Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Perez’s helmet had fallen off and his pants had become stained. The top button of his powder blue jersey had come undone and the gold chain he wears around his neck had sidled in and out of place.
The only part about this third-inning scene in the Royals’ 8-2 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon that was not out of place was Perez’s trademark grin. Everything else leading up to it resembled chaos.