KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The Royals received some bad news late Wednesday afternoon when it was learned that catcher Salvador Perez will be out four to six weeks with a torn knee ligament.
He slipped on a stair inside his house as he was lifting his suitcase Tuesday night, manager Ned Yost said. Perez appeared before the media Thursday afternoon wearing a black brace on his left knee as he answered questions.
"I just lost my balance," Perez said.
The injury is a Grade 2 tear of the medial collateral ligament, the team said.
Perez had an MRI on the knee around midday on Wednesday. That's when the team learned the extent of the injury.
"He's distraught," Yost said. "Hopefully it (recovery time) is shorter than longer."
The Royals open the season on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium against the Chicago White Sox.
