Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is likely out until the 2020 season after suffering an elbow injury on his throwing arm that is expected to require Tommy John surgery.

Perez played for the Burlington Bees in 2009, batting .189 with six doubles and seven RBI in 36 games. He made his major-league debut for the Royals in 2011 and has since won five Gold Glove and two Silver Slugger awards, been named an All-Star six times, and is considered one of the game’s most durable backstops. Oh, and he helped lead the Royals to back-to-back World Series (2014-15) and was named the Fall Classic’s Most Valuable Player in 2015.

Perez batted .235 with 27 HR and 80 RBI in 129 games with the Royals last season.

Salvador Perez (right) and the late Yordano Ventura share a laugh on their way from the bullpen to the dugout before a game at Miller Park in 2014. (Photo by Craig Wieczorkiewicz/The Midwest League Traveler)