Welcome back to Week Four of our Patience or Panic series, where we take a look at three struggling players and provide recommendations on how you should react to their slow starts and subpar performance. Almost one month into the season, how much validity do these slow starts have? Two catchers are subjects of concern as we re-frame our expectations for the rest of the year.
Salvador Perez, C/1B, Kansas City Royals
In his last 12 games, Salvador Perez is 8-for-51 with one home run and 16 strikeouts. He’s currently playing through some hip soreness, which hasn’t resulted in any time on the IL, but has forced the Royals to call up Elias Díaz to help man the plate and move Perez more frequently to DH. Perez turns 36 in May, so his body could be starting to break down. He’s started more games and caught more innings behind the plate than any other active catcher. Second on both lists, J.T. Realmuto, just turned 35 in March and has seen his fantasy stock drop dramatically in recent seasons.
However, there is a precedent for an early-season Perez slump. He’s faced similar cold streaks in the past, including a .182 BA and two home runs in his first 23 games last season and in most other seasons throughout his career.
Perez continues to play every day and has earned that trust over a long career that has included these spells. One bad month is not enough to move on from one of the most consistent fantasy catchers of the past decade. But keep an eye on how long the hip issue lingers, as the more games Perez catches behind the plate, the clearer it is that he’s healthy. A nagging injury could sharpen an age decline yet to heavily impact his offensive production to this point.
Verdict: Patience
Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Colorado Rockies
Managers who drafted Ezequiel Tovar in the late rounds for this season were hoping to see his power return from the 26 home runs he hit in 2024. So far, the return has been lacking, with just one home run in 89 plate appearances to start the season. Given that this was the primary selling point for Tovar managers, it’s time to pick apart the underlying metrics.
Not only is the quality of contact strong, but it tells us Tovar has been particularly unlucky so far. As the weather heats up, more of these fly balls should result in home runs, especially in the hitter-friendly Coors Field. As a bonus, Tovar’s .224 average is 47 points lower than expected, one of the worst among shortstops. The results will come, making Tovar a solid buy-low candidate for managers looking for middle infield help in deeper leagues.
Verdict: Patience
Yainer Diaz, C, Houston Astros
Yainer Diaz has gotten off to a slow start in 2026, continuing a downward trend that began last season. The power numbers have remained mostly consistent over the past three seasons, but the consistency of contact has declined. As a result, Diaz is getting on base less and profiling as a single-category hitter.
Of greater concern, Diaz is losing playing time, as the Astros have put more trust in veteran Christian Vázquez behind the plate. The two are splitting catching duties 50/50 over the past week, possibly leaning on Vazquez to help the Houston pitching staff, which has struggled to a league-worst 6.11 team ERA so far this season. This development is a major change for Diaz, who played 140+ games in each of the past two seasons, and will have to adjust to more of a part-time role. Catcher is deeper now than in recent seasons, meaning managers should pivot to other options rather than wait to see how the Houston catching situation shakes out over the long term.
Verdict: Panic
Photos courtesy of Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@abeardoesart on Bluesky and X)
