Catcher Roberto Perez has helped propel the Cleveland Indians to the World Series due to his incredible defensive play and surprising offensive production in the playoffs. Perez was a key contributor in Game 1 vs the Chicago Cubs with two big home runs.
Perez’s unexpected ascension was filled with overcoming obstacles. The most difficult being his battle with Bell’s Palsy – a facial paralysis which causes muscular weakness on one side of the face. Perez spoke with Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports and said the autoimmune disease made it difficult to blink without assistance. In 2013, upon the discovering the disease, Perez was forced to wear an eye-patch and had difficulty catching due to weather conditions.
The organization considered placing Perez on the disabled list, but the 27-year-old kept playing.
“The organization talked to me about shutting me down,” he said. “I told them I want to keep playing. I’ve got a family I’ve got to take care of. I’m playing baseball. I’ve got pride in what I do. I want to make it. You guys are not shutting me down.
“You start thinking and wondering whether you’re going to make it or not, if it’s for you or not. I was going to make it.”
It’s amazing Perez overcame and fought the debilitating disorder and became a World Series hero of sorts for the Indians. His unexpected postseason production has been one of the biggest highlights of the playoffs Check out Passan’s feature, it will make you cheer on Perez and hope he continues his meteoric rise.
[theScore]
