Kansas City Royals captain Salvador Perez got a day off Saturday, apparently against his will.

The fun began when the Royals posted a lineup without Perez. Royals manager Matt Quatraro then told reporters he was giving Perez a “mental breather” after some recent struggles, with Carter Jensen getting the start behind the plate instead.

That seemed simple enough … until about nine hours later, when Perez bluntly posted, “I don’t need a mental breather” on social media.

So it might not be the most harmonious state of play in Kansas City right now. The Royals also lost 13-4 to the New York Yankees on Saturday, worsening their record to 7-14, tied with the New York Mets for the worst in MLB.

Jensen homered in that game, bringing his season total up to five.

What’s particularly awkward is that the 35-year-old Perez has barely been playable so far this season, after a down 2025. He’s slashed .160/.210/.307 in 20 games so far this season, with 17 strikeouts and four walks in 81 plate appearances. Jensen hasn’t been much better at .214/.274/.446, but he has been better (except when it comes to waking up).

Similar to what just happened on the Toronto Blue Jays with Eric Lauer, there’s probably a conversation to be had behind closed doors. Perez commands immense respect in Kansas City as a nine-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, five-time Gold Glove and World Series MVP of the Royals’ 2015 title, but he’s simply a different player now.

Quatraro has been the manager in Kansas City since 2023 and entered this season with a 224-262 record, with a playoff berth in 2024.

Dexter Lawrence wasn’t happy with the New York Giants, and now he’s on the move.

The Giants traded the Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a package that includes the No. 10 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Lawrence will reportedly be receiving his desired extension with his new team.

This article will be updated with more information.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer doesn’t like pitching behind an opener. Blue Jays manager John Schneider doesn’t appear to be losing sleep over it.

A minor drama hit the Blue Jays clubhouse Friday when Lauer, a veteran southpaw who has mostly started in his MLB career, openly complained about being asked to serve as the bulk guy behind an opener.

His words, via Mitch Bannon of The Athletic:

"It's definitely different. To be really blunt, I hate it. I can't stand it. You work with what you got. Part of it, too, we're trying to mix some things up. We're trying to find ways to win. It's a gameplan we had and I think we went out there and tried to execute it the best we could. That's really all you can do."

"You can make it work the best you can. It's just, hopefully it's not something that we will continue doing. But you know, that's above my pay grade."

One day later, Schneider confirmed he agreed with Lauer on one thing, that the matter is above his pay grade. He also didn’t seem to appreciate Lauer airing his grievances with the media rather than behind closed doors:

"I respect everyone's opinion. I know the end of his quote was 'it's above my pay grade, and it definitely is above his pay grade as to how we use him. We're trying to win; you know what I mean? My job is to put him in spots to try to have success. That's what I try to do. He's aware of that. He gets that. I think that anyone who's been bounced around a little bit, he wants to start. I get it. He's on board with us, just trying to win and go out and execute until we take the ball from the big fella and do it again the next time.

"It's just reminding guys, if you don't like your role, come talk to me. Come talk to Pete. That goes for everybody. It's you don't like when I take you out as a starter. All right, come talk to me. Don't tell you guys (reporters). Come tell me. So that was it, basically it was quick. I think the message was, like, you pitch, I decide."

Lauer made three starts before Friday, in which he allowed 11 earned runs while striking out 12 and walking nine in 12 2/3 innings of work. With the opener, he allowed three earned runs in five innings in a 6-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

There are levels to this as well, as The Athletic notes Lauer feels pitching out of the bullpen last year cost him his arbitration case, in which the Jays successfully argued for a $4.4 million instead of his $5.75 number.

Lauer is also due to hit free agency next offseason.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Openers have become commonplace in MLB in recent years, though some pitchers clearly still have issues with the idea. The Blue Jays are doing it as a matter of desperation, as they entered the season with an overstocked rotation but are now dealing with a significant number of injuries.

Starters Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, Shane Bieber and Cody Ponce are all currently on the injured list, with Ponce likely out for the season with an ACL injury after signing a $30 million deal over the winter. Those inuries are how Lauer made the rotation out of spring training.

Toronto has also signed Patrick Corbin to fill a gap in the rotation, and using an opener in front of Lauer may well be them trying to mitigate issues with a starter they can’t afford to replace right now.

The second-most expensive roster in MLB isn’t paying off so far this season.

With a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, the New York Mets’ losing streak reached 10 games and lowed their record to 7-14, tied for the worst mark in all of baseball. It is their first double-digit losing streak since 2004.

New York had some reason for hope entering the game, with top starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, acquired at significant expense via trade over the winter, taking the mound at Wrigley Field. They took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off a Mark Vientos solo homer and then, well, the usual stuff happened.

Cubs outfielder Ian Happ tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a homer off Peralta, then Cubs catcher Carson Kelly continued a hot start to the season with a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth off Brooks Raley, who had inherited two baserunners from Peralta.

Peralta’s final line: 5 2/3 innings, 3 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Which isn’t horrific, but also not enough to overcome a day in which the Mets offense went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

The current state of the Mets offense is offensive underperformance across the board outside of catcher Francisco Alvarez. Francisco Lindor is slashing .214/.305/.321. High-priced addition Bo Bichette is slashing .227/.266/.295. Trade acquisition Marcus Semien is slashing .216/.280/.297. And Juan Soto has been out since April 4 with a calf strain.

Bichette said he didn’t have many answers while speaking with reporters after the game, via SNY:

"I don’t really wrap my mind around it. It’s tough right now," Bo Bichette said of the team's losing streak after the game. "If we knew the answer, we’d do it. But we’ll keep working to try and figure it out."

Overall, the Mets are tied for dead last in runs scored through Saturday, with the worst on-base percentage in baseball. By comparison, their pitching has been merely mediocre, but nothing has been what you would want from a team with an estimated $370 million payroll this season.

Since July 28 of last year, New York is 28-49, which works out to a full-season pace of 59-103. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, whose seat is getting plenty hot right now, said he understood their fans’ emotions these days:

"I understand how they're feeling. I'd be pissed too if I'm a fan. I'm pissed. They're pissed."

The good news for the Mets is that as much as their talent has so far underperformed, it’s still talent. They are just in the unenviable position of needing a complete reset after a month of play. They are also staring down the barrel of the club’s worst losing streak since 1980, when they lost 13 in a row. Their record for consecutive losses remains 17 in 1962, but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

New York has one game remaining against the Cubs on Sunday, with David Peterson and Javier Assad expected to pitch, before returning home for a series against the Minnesota Twins next week.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole officially began his rehab assignment on Friday, making his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in early 2025.

Suiting up for the Somerset Patriots, the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, Cole threw 4 1/3 innings with 3 hits allowed, 3 earned runs, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts on 44 pitches. While pitch-by-pitch data isn’t available online, he reportedly hit 96 mph in the first inning.

He was also throwing quite a curveball.

Cole’s trouble came in the second inning, when he walked a batter then allowed an RBI double to Dylan Campbell and homer to Bryson Ware on back-to-back batters.

Per MLB.com, Cole has been moving smoothly through rehab this year, with two short starts in spring training. His side session on Wednesday went well enough the Yankees decided to start the rehab assignment clock, which dictates that a player must be added back to the MLB roster within 30 days of the start of his rehab assignment. Tommy John patients may also receive three 10-day extensions.

Cole is reportedly forecasted for a return in June, though he seemed happy with where he was earlier this week:

“I have no complaints,” Cole said on Monday. “The stamina was good. The pitches are fine right now. They’re good. I’m a little nitpicky, but everything is good.”

Without Cole, the Yankees are off to an 11-9 start after a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday. When Cole is healthy, they will be expecting to have one of the best pitchers in baseball back in a rotation currently headlined by Max Fried and Cam Schlittler.