Royals' Perez to withdraw from WBC after collision with Butera
GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- All-Star catcher Salvador Perez injured his left knee in a home-plate collision with Drew Butera, his backup with the Kansas City Royals, in a game between Venezuela and Italy and will be out for the rest of the World Baseball Classic.
Italy's Butera stumbled into Perez to end the ninth inning with the score tied at 10. Butera appeared to try limiting contact with Perez but still fell into his left knee, and Perez struggled to put weight on the leg as he was helped off the field.
The team released a statement saying Perez had an MRI that showed no damage to the knee beyond swelling and that he'd miss the rest of the tournament.
Venezuela rallied to beat Italy 11-10 on Martin Prado's 10th-inning double.
Perez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to put Venezuela ahead 10-8. Perez is a four-time All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner and has averaged 137.5 games per season behind the plate over the past four years. The 2015 World Series MVP had surgery in 2012 to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.
