That conversation, one of many, as well as Molina’s track record for durability and trust earned within the organization, has Shildt taking cues from the catcher when it comes to how much and how often he plays. Molina extended his own record Saturday by starting a 20th consecutive game at catcher — the longest streak in major-league history at the position for a player age 35 or older, according to Elias Sports Bureau. He’s more than doubled the previous record , and there’s no indication he intends to rest during the coming series.
“Let me tell you something: I’m not going to put my team in any situation where I go 0 for five because I want to play, because I want to be a hero,” Molina said after his team’s 8-2 victory Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.