Salvador Perez has damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, confirmed by a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache today. Perez will need Tommy John surgery, which will take place on Wednesday, according to MLB.com reporter Jeffrey Flanagan. The recovery time from Tommy John surgery can take 12-16 months. Royals trainer Nick Kenney indicated that the rehab time could be shorter for a catcher, which means Salvy could return in time for the start of the 2020 season.
“If you’re looking at a position player who has similarities to a pitcher, you can’t get any closer than a catcher, who actually has a higher volume of throws.