Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side's Jekyll and Hyde display in Sunday's 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham United was enough to give him nightmares.

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The Spaniard looked aghast on the touchline as a dominant West Ham punished his lacklustre team by scoring three times in the opening 32 minutes with goals by Jesse Lingard, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.

Arsenal were in danger of a humiliating drubbing at that point, having failed to get out of first gear, but they hit back in stunning fashion to earn an unlikely point with own goals by Soucek and Craig Dawson and a late Alexandre Lacazette header.

While praising his side's response, Arteta was scathing about the way they started the game.

"This game is going to give me a few nightmares because it is really difficult to stop some of the things we have been doing to hurt ourselves," Arteta said.

He was especially concerned about the way his side were caught napping for West Ham's second goal, when Lingard played a quick free kick to Bowen whose shot evaded keeper Bernd Leno at his near post, and the third goal in which Vladimir Coufal was allowed to cross and Antonio's header was touched in by Soucek.

Even after they had battled back to 3-3 Arsenal almost undid all their good work when Declan Rice ran unopposed half the length of the pitch and forced a save from Leno.

"Hard to explain, we knew the game we would face against West Ham, they can create problems for any team," Arteta said.

"The first goal is something they do really well -- the second and third goal, and the chance that we conceded at the end, is unacceptable."

Despite that, some of Arsenal's attacking play after the break was impressive and rocked West Ham.

"That is the level we can show, the other is top level and probably the best we play all season -- we could have scored six or seven goals and won the game, but we cannot have two faces," Arteta said.

West Ham manager David Moyes said there had been "loads of positives" from his side's display, although he was disappointed that they had missed a chance to move level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.

"It would have been nice to take the three points because it would have kept us right in there, but we've not lost too much ground," a phlegmatic Moyes said.

"It has been a long time since we finished above Arsenal, we have done our best to make sure they can't catch us. Now we want more, I'm greedy and they are devastated in the dressing room at not taking three points."

Manchester United were dumped out of the FA Cup at the quarterfinal stage after a 3-1 defeat at Leicester City on Sunday.

A Kelechi Iheanacho double and Youri Tielemans strike ended United's hopes of winning the competition for the first time since 2016.

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Mason Greenwood levelled the score at 1-1 in the first half but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were unable to book a place at Wembley.

Leicester will face Southampton in the FA Cup semifinals while Manchester City will meet Chelsea in the other game.

"We didn't have the spark tonight -- but it's understandable," Solskjaer told BBC after the game. "This team have been fantastic in the last three or four months. We played every three days and been on a great run.

"It just caught up with us, all the games and travels. Thursday night in Milan was a big night and took a lot of out of us physically. We didn't have the extra zip, authority and confidence today.

Leicester had the first chance of the game after 17 minutes but Jamie Vardy's effort was parried away by goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

The hosts did take the lead less than 10 minutes later when Iheanacho pounced on a poor back pass from Fred to skip round Henderson and score into an empty net.

United equalised six minutes before half time when Greenwood got on the end of a Paul Pogba cross following a smart dummy from Donny Van de Beek.

Leicester restored their lead after 52 minutes when Tielemans drove at the heart of the United defence and slotted the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Leicester almost grabbed a third minutes later but Vardy dragged his shot wide when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Solskjaer brought Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani off the bench to grab an equaliser but it was Iheanacho who extended Leicester's lead with a header from a free kick.

"I'm obviously delighted. It was a great team performance," Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers told BBC. "Every aspect of the game was complete.

"We showed courage to play football against one of Europe's greatest teams. I'm so happy for the players. I thought we thoroghly deserved it.

"Kelechi has always contributed. Maybe his confidence was lower but he works so hard every day and always comes in and gives his all. You see his confidence now. He's at the top of his game."

LEICESTER, England -- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made no secret of desire to win competitions more important than the FA Cup, but Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Leicester at the quarterfinal stage on Sunday will remind the Norwegian that, ultimately, he needs better players to get him where he wants to be.

United's last hope of ending this season with silverware lies with the Europa League, but it is the Premier League title and the Champions League that Solskjaer really wants. To win those -- the most prestigious prizes on offer -- a squad is needed to match the best in the world and United, who lost away from home against a domestic rival for the first time in 14 months, fall short in that department.

Leicester, without James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and both their first-choice full-backs, were by far the better team and Brendan Rodgers, for whom this game was his 100th in charge at the King Power Stadium, will fancy his side's chances of progressing to the final after they were drawn against Southampton in the last four. Manchester City and Chelsea will contest the other semifinal.

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Solskjaer, meanwhile, sees United go into the international break with a disappointing defeat after a long run of games caught up with them.

"We didn't have the spark tonight, but it's understandable," he said. "This team have been fantastic in the last three or four months. We played every three days and have been on a great run. It just caught up with us, all the games and travels."

Solskjaer claimed that Thursday night's Europa League trip to Milan "took a lot of out of us physically," which led to a lack of "zip, authority and confidence" against Leicester.

"We tried to get on the front foot and start well because sometimes you can get that adrenaline boost and confidence if you get a goal and that can carry you over the line," he said. "We've got too many players that have played too many games and too many that haven't really had much football. We didn't have enough against a tough team."

Solskjaer has set the standard for his players by claiming that, while FA Cup and Europa League success would be useful stepping stones, his focus is upon building a squad capable of winning a first Premier League title since 2013.

In two years as permanent manager, he has worked hard to change what he calls "the culture" at Old Trafford, but it is only part of the puzzle. A bonded dressing room is one thing, but the best teams have the best players and this latest display featured further evidence that it is hard to make an argument for some of Solskjaer's regulars.

Fred, in particular, had a day to forget, and it was remarkable that he stayed on the pitch for 84 minutes. The Brazilian midfielder was shocking for the first 25 minutes especially, the lowlight of which was a loose back pass that allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to scoot round Dean Henderson and score into an empty net.

After Mason Greenwood had ensured United went into half-time level -- the 19-year-old's sharply taken finish followed Donny van de Beek's clever dummy -- Fred had a front-row seat seven minutes after the break to watch Youri Tielemans turn Nemanja Matic before embarking upon a strong run that ended with a sharp finish into the bottom corner.

United made a quadruple substitution to chase the game, with Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani among those to come on, but Iheanacho put the tie to bed with his second, a close-range header after Dean Henderson flapped at a left-wing free kick.

Fred is not a bad footballer -- he was very good in the second half against Milan -- but is he a potential league winner? He turned 28 earlier this month and, in nearly three seasons at United, has made more than 100 appearances, but the window for significant improvement has probably closed, especially for a player who relies on stamina rather than outstanding technical ability.

Indeed, it is difficult to see how he would get into Leicester's team ahead of Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi, let alone the midfields of Manchester City or Bayern Munich. That is the standard Solskjaer has set himself and, while he is not the type to play the blame game, he must make decisions get his team to the heights he enjoyed as a player under Sir Alex Ferguson.

"When we win, we win together and when we lose, we lose together," Solskjaer said. "We're not pointing fingers and blaming. The second one is a good goal by the boy but maybe with a zip of energy we could've got to him and wouldn't have been done as easily in the middle. That's been one of our strengths -- keeping clean sheets and being dogged -- but we didn't have the opportunity."

Many of United's players will represent their countries over the next two weeks, rather than getting the rest Solskjaer might feel they need, after which United return to action in pursuit of Champions League qualification and the silverware that has eluded their manager despite reaching the late rounds of a cup competition several times.

"We've got the Europa League and Premier League to concentrate on," Solskjaer said. "Yes, we would've liked to go to Wembley [in the FA Cup], but now all the focus is on the games we do have. We're in a good position in the league and we want to keep improving."

Second place in the league would enable Solskjaer to argue that progress has been made, regardless of what happens in the remaining rounds of the Europa League. For that is where the overriding ambition lies for the 48-year-old: Premier League glory is his aim, and it is his job over the summer to decide who of his players are up to it and who are not.

India's stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana said her team's sloppy fielding made the hosts undeserving of a win in the second T20I against South Africa. On Sunday night, South Africa won off the final ball to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

"It is a bitter pill to swallow," Mandhana told Star Sports after the loss. "Thought 80 per cent of the time it was our game but we could not close it out in the end. Lots of things to learn from the game. Probably the way we fielded, I don't think we deserved to win the game. We have to work on our fielding and probably improve our fielding standards."

India missed three catches on the night that cost them dearly. Opener Lizelle Lee was dropped on 30 and 60, by Richa Ghosh on both occasions, while left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad dropped Player of the Match Laura Wolvaardt, who struck the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 53, when she was on two.

Having been put in to bat for the second game on the trot, India, like in the series opener, lost Mandhana in the second over but equalled their powerplay tally of 41 for 1 from the first T20I. Their innings was steadied again by opener Shafali Verma and No. 3 Harleen Deol. With Verma muscling a 31-ball 47 and later No. 5 Ghosh smashing eight fours in her 26-ball 44, India set South Africa a 159 target, an improvement on their total of 130 the night before.

"The way our batters batted, it was amazing to watch, especially all the youngsters - Shafali, Richa, [and] then Harleen in between," Mandhana said. "The way the built up the partnership and got us to a 150-plus score [was commendable]. I think it was a good total to defend. But, as I said, if we would have done better in the second half of the match… A lot of positives but [there is] a lot of things to work on."

Asked if the 364-day period of almost complete inactivity that preceded the start of the ODI series or the pressure of the T20I format played a part in India's slip-ups in the field on Sunday, Mandhana said the issue needed addressing at a deeper level.

"We cannot keep using that as an excuse. We have to pull our socks [up]," she said. "We need to get better at that. Definitely, we are practising hard towards that. Hopefully, there will be one odd match where we will get it right and then everything good will start coming."

Seventeen-year-old Verma, who top-scored for India, said after the match that she was hopeful India would iron out their flaws as a fielding unit. "Mistakes in the field are part of cricket," the teenager said, "but I hope we learn from the errors we made today because we played well as a team."

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets added another key piece to their defense, agreeing Sunday to a two-year contract with former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, a league source confirmed.

Rankins, a former first-round pick who turns 27 on April 2, can earn as much as $17 million over the two years, the source said.

This gives the Jets another starting-caliber player for the interior of their new 4-3 front. Rankins will join Quinnen Williams and Folorunso Fatukasi as their top defensive tackles.

After 15 years as a 3-4 base defense, the Jets are making the conversion to a 4-3 under new coach Robert Saleh, who likes to rotate his linemen. Previously, the Jets signed former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson to a three-year, $45 million contract. Jarrad Davis, formerly of the Detroit Lions, is projected to start at linebacker after signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal.

Rankins was the 12th overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Louisville. He battled a series of injuries throughout his five-year career in New Orleans.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder projects mainly as a three-technique defensive tackle, though he has lined up at multiple positions. He has 17.5 sacks in the regular season, plus two more in the playoffs. He had his best season in 2018 with eight sacks and 40 tackles while starting all 16 games. But he tore his Achilles in the Saints' playoff opener that year and has come off the bench to rotate with starters David Onyemata and Malcom Brown since the injury.

Rankins also missed seven games as a rookie with a fractured fibula, three games in 2019 because of season-ending foot surgery and four games in 2020 with a sprained MCL in his knee. However, he insisted recently that he is as healthy as he has been since 2018 and feels ready to return to peak form.

Despite the injuries, the Saints were still high enough on Rankins to pick up his fifth-year option for 2020 at the rate of $7.69 million.

ESPN's Mike Triplett contributed to this report.

MIAMI -- Serena Williams is the latest Grand Slam champion to withdraw from the Miami Open.

Williams pulled out Sunday, citing recent oral surgery. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer announced earlier they would skip the tournament, which begins Tuesday.

Williams, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has won the event a record eight times, most recently in 2015.

"Miami is a special tournament for me because it's my home," she said in a statement. "I am sad I won't be able to see the incredible fans this year, but I look forward to coming back soon."

Williams' most recent match was a month ago at the Australian Open, where she lost to Naomi Osaka in the semifinals.

The NCAA men's tournament's first No. 1 seed has fallen. March Madness brackets were busted from coast to coast and in nations worldwide when the Illinois Fighting Illini lost to the Loyola Chicago Ramblers 71-58 on Sunday, removing the Big Ten tournament champions and a popular Final Four pick from the field.

Thirty-four of ESPN's 38 college basketball experts had picked Illinois to represent the Midwest in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 3, and its loss leaves the second-seeded Houston Cougars as the top team standing in the region.

But Sunday's result also raises the profile and possibilities for Loyola, which reached the Final Four in San Antonio back in 2018 and may have rediscovered its magic (with team chaplain Sister Jean, the face of the program, looking on). ESPN.com's team of college basketball writers reflected on the reasons for and meaning of the Illinois loss, projecting how far the Ramblers can go and whether we'll see the Illini back on the No. 1 seed line anytime soon. Follow this link for NCAA tournament tip times, and visit here to check your March Madness bracket.

What sunk Illinois in its loss to Loyola Chicago?

Loyola Chicago put on a clinic at both ends of the floor. Illinois' ball-screen-heavy offense had very little room to operate because Loyola dropped a big into the lane and forced the Illini to take contested midrange shots -- and the lane looked clogged whenever Ayo Dosunmu or Andre Curbelo tried to make things happen off the bounce going to the rim. Dosunmu got free for a drive to the basket maybe twice, and one was on a miscommunication by Loyola's defense, while Curbelo had some turnover problems when he was looking to create a spark in the second half.

Illinois also missed a few open 3s that would have forced Loyola to extend its defense, and Kofi Cockburn struggled to finish early when Loyola was stretching its lead. Dosunmu, arguably the best offensive guard in the country, had nine points on 10 shots and six turnovers. In other words, it all went wrong.

At the other end, Illinois allowed Loyola to run its offense too easily. The Fighting Illini rarely pressured full-court or extended their half-court defense and never went small to try to take Porter Moser's team out of rhythm. And of course, Cameron Krutwig. He was a magician on Sunday. Cockburn couldn't really handle Krutwig's craftiness and passing ability. Krutwig finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and was the best player on the floor. A lot of credit goes to Moser, too. Coming out of timeouts, Loyola was clinical when it needed to be. The Ramblers never trailed -- it was a tremendous performance by the Valley champs.

-- Jeff Borzello

What does the Big Ten's performance in this tournament to date say about the quality of the league? Anything?

We debate this same question every year in the College Football Playoff with the Big Ten, which hasn't won a national title since the 2014 season (Ohio State). It's always obvious, in the final stages of the season, that the Big Ten has the football talent to compete with the bulk of the field but consistently falls short against true national title contenders. I don't think that's any different in the Big Ten with men's basketball.

There isn't enough high-level talent in the league. Not consistently, at least. That means you can put together great teams, but you'll go 20 years (Michigan State won the Big Ten's most recent national title in 2000) without cutting down the nets. The Big Ten, per RealGM, has produced 12 first-round picks since the 2016 NBA draft. In the 2020 NBA draft alone, six SEC players were selected in the first round, and 12 overall.

The Big Ten has been the regular-season standard in college basketball in recent years, and multiple teams have played in Final Fours since Michigan State's run in 2000. But without a more fruitful pipeline, the league will continue to find itself in battles against ambitious, experienced underdogs who boast a similar talent pool in the postseason. Ohio State needed more talent down the stretch against Oral Roberts. Purdue needed someone like Carsen Edwards against North Texas. And the gap between an Illinois team with a pair of NBA prospects and a Loyola-Chicago squad led by mid-major star Cameron Krutwig was not as wide as it appeared to be on paper.

Without a national title this season -- or at least a run to the Final Four -- it will be difficult for the Big Ten to shake the idea that it's one of America's best leagues in the regular season, but not when it counts in the postseason.

-- Myron Medcalf

What are the historical implications of Illinois' loss? Where does this rank on the list of disappointments for Illini fans?

The Fighting Illini operate with a regularity that can only be charted by Stonehenge. Every 16 years, it is said, the program produces a team that can contend for a national title. In 1989, it was the "Flying Illini," with Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill and Kenny Battle. That dream died at the Final Four courtesy of a Sean Higgins basket for Michigan. Then, in 2005, Dee Brown, Deron Williams and company came up just short against North Carolina in the national title game. Here we are again, 16 years after that.

This "16-year" theory, however, conveniently leaves out a top-seeded team in 2001 under new head coach Bill Self. That team had to play, and lose to, one uncommonly strong No. 2 seed in the form of Arizona in the Elite Eight. Losing to Loyola Chicago feels more like that defeat 20 years ago. The Ramblers were perhaps mis-seeded, as shocked and morose Illini fans were already rage-tweeting in the first half. Losing as early as the round of the 32 is a new twist, but Porter Moser's group was clearly the superior team. The defeat reinforces the fact that the Ramblers are the only program in the state of Illinois ever to win a national title (1963). Illinois fans are left to wait patiently for 2037 or, perhaps, a better day sooner than that.

-- John Gasaway

In her recent SportsCenter interview, Sister Jean noted specifically that the Ramblers' "had the defense to beat Illinois. And if they do that, there isn't anyone on this piece of paper [her bracket] that they can't beat." The rest of the Midwest Regional should be afraid. Very afraid.

More to the point, the Ramblers will now face either Oregon State or Oklahoma State in the Sweet 16. Loyola, the No. 8 seed, would be favored against the No. 12 Beavers. Against Oklahoma State, who's to say the Ramblers couldn't stifle Cade Cunningham the same way they put handcuffs on Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu?

Besides, Sister Jean has Loyola in her Elite Eight. Who are we to argue?

-- Joe Lunardi

What's Loyola Chicago's ceiling? Can the Ramblers make their second Final Four trip in four years?

Loyola just beat an opponent ranked No. 2 by both the AP and KenPom. The Ramblers thoroughly outplayed Illinois from the first minute of the game and was clearly the superior team. Porter Moser's group is therefore a clear threat to reach the Final Four for the second time in three tournaments. The win against the Illini displayed how this team can excel at both the defensive (first half) and offensive (second) ends. Cameron Krutwig creates major problems on offense with his post moves and, especially, his passing. At 6-foot-9, he is capable of stripping the ball in the open floor from an All-American guard like Ayo Dosunmu. The country should prepare for more Sister Jean, because this team has what it takes to reach April.

-- John Gasaway

Who do we expect back for Illinois -- are the Illini going to have 1-seed potential again in 2021-22?

Everyone can theoretically return, so the potential to run it back is there. But it's highly unlikely. Dosunmu is a projected first-round pick in this year's NBA draft, while Cockburn also put his name into the draft pool last year before returning to Champaign. Both could leave for the pro ranks this spring. Trent Frazier and Da'Monte Williams are seniors who could decide their college careers have come to an end. Compared to last season, when Brad Underwood brought in impact guards Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo, the Fighting Illini aren't bringing in a loaded recruiting class. Luke Goode and Ramses Melendez are solid forwards who should be rotation players, but they're unlikely to be game-changers in Year 1.

Miller and Curbelo showed flashes this season of their potential, and the expectation is that the team will run through the freshman guards next season. Miller was a ball-dominant guard at the high school level, and a borderline projected first-round pick entering college, so he shouldn't have an issue becoming a go-to-guy. Curbelo showed several times this season he has a spark with the ball in his hands that not many players possess. It could be one of the premier backcourts in college basketball. That said, I don't see the Illini being back in the 1-seed conversation barring surprising decisions from Dosunmu and Cockburn.

-- Jeff Borzello

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates are taking a flier on knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright.

The Pirates signed Wright on Sunday and invited him to big league camp. The right-hander last pitched in the majors in 2019, when he was limited to six appearances with Boston after serving an 80-game suspension following a positive test for human growth hormone.

Wright, 36, is 24-16 with a 3.86 ERA in 81 career appearances, with 44 starts, and was an All-Star in 2016. He did not pitch in 2020 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Wright was arrested on Dec. 8, 2017, at his home outside Nashville, Tennessee, and charged with domestic related assault and prevention of a 911 call, both misdemeanors. The Boston Globe reported prosecutors retired Wright's case contingent on him completing an anger management course, refraining from violent contact with his wife, and incurring no new criminal charges for a year.

Wright ended up serving a 15-game suspension in 2018 as a result of the incident.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Tyler Clippard has a sprained right shoulder and won't throw for at least the next six weeks.

Clippard said the injury was diagnosed as a "capsule sprain" and his shoulder will be reevaluated at the end of six weeks of rest. The right-hander signed a $2.25 million, one-year deal with the team in February.

Clippard was injured while pitching against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in Phoenix. He gave up seven earned runs without retiring a batter and was struggling with his command and velocity before eventually motioning for manager Torey Lovullo to take him out of the game.

Clippard, 36, has been remarkably durable throughout his career and has thrown in 777 career games, which ranks second among active MLB pitchers. He had a 2.77 ERA in 26 appearances with the Minnesota Twins last season.

"I've never been on the injured list in my career," Clippard said on Sunday. "I pride myself on being that guy who is healthy and now I'm not, so I'm bummed."

Salvador Pérez still remembers growing up in the Venezuelan city of Valencia, where as a youngster he would take batting practice against his mother with a broomstick and later play organized ball with the likes of José Altuve.

He never thought a day like Sunday could be possible.

That's when the Kansas City Royals gave the six-time All-Star catcher a four-year extension. The contract is worth $82 million, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports, which makes it the richest deal in Royals history. The Kansas City Star first reported the financial aspect of Perez's extension.

The value of the new deal surpasses the four-year, $72 million contract the Royals gave outfielder Alex Gordon in 2016.

Perez's extension, which begins with the 2022 season, comes after a 2020 season in which he was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year.

"It's hard to believe where I'm coming from, where I grew up, to see the situation I have right now, it makes me feel super happy," Pérez said from the Royals' spring training home in Surprise, Arizona. "My mother is going to be happy. I know my grandma is going to be happy. I know they're excited for me to be here for four more years, maybe five."

"Nobody loves to play baseball more than Salvador Pérez. There are players that like it just as much but nobody loves it more," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "Nobody can imagine him not being here."

Pérez, who turns 31 in May, has not only established himself as one of the game's premier catchers but also one of the most beloved players in Royals history. He was World Series MVP in 2015, when the club broke its 30-year title drought, and is coming off a season in which he hit .333 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs to win his third Silver Slugger.

He also has five Gold Gloves to his name, and the Royals are counting on his ability to bring out the best in their pitchers to help a young and promising starting rotation that they hope will lead them back to the playoffs.

"I mean, the catching position is without a doubt the most demanding position in our game," Moore said. "It's hard, I think almost impossible, to win championships unless you have somebody behind the plate, somebody at the catcher position, that's a leader -- that brings out the confidence in your pitching staff. And Salvy does all that."

Indeed, Pérez also has proven to be durable behind the plate. He appeared in at least 129 games six consecutive seasons, often arguing against getting days off, until missing the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery.

He returned to have one of the best seasons of his career during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

"It's the same with everybody: You trust your medical people," Moore said. "Of course we talked about Salvy, but at the end of the day, they all signed off on it because they believe in his work ethic. They believe in the condition of his body. They believe in his heart and mind to play. He puts himself in a position to go out there every single day."

Pérez also happens to be a personal favorite of John Sherman, the former part-owner of the AL Central rival Cleveland Indians, who leads the ownership group that purchased the Royals from the late David Glass prior to last season.

Sherman called a summit in Florida in January that included Moore, Pérez and several other executives, and it was during that meeting that they began hashing out the framework for the new contract. It wound up getting done just weeks before Opening Day, when the Royals hope to welcome about 10,000 fans back to Kauffman Stadium for each game.

"You know, they believe in me and what I do on the field," Pérez said, "and all the fans in Kansas City, you know?"

The small-market Royals have long had a reputation for being stingy with contracts, but Pérez's new deal is the latest sign that Sherman and the new owners are willing to open the checkbook to put a winner on the field.

This past offseason alone, the Royals signed slugging first baseman Carlos Santana to a two-year, $17.5 million contract; they worked an aggressive three-team trade to land Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi; they lured right-hander Mike Minor back to town with a two-year, $18 million deal; they bolstered their beleaguered bullpen by signing former All-Star pitchers Greg Holland and Wade Davis, both part of their championship past.

They also have shown a willingness to reward their own. The Royals started March off by signing third baseman Hunter Dozier to a four-year, $25 million contract with the hope that he can bounce back from a rough 2020 season.

As for Pérez, he had no interest in trying out free agency for the first time after this season.

"I want to stay here," he said simply. "I want to finish my career here."

Information from ESPN's Jeff Passan and The Associated Press was used in this report.