Indians catcher Roberto Perez said he is ready for the everyday role behind the plate with starter Yan Gomes sidelined 6-8 weeks due to a knee injury.
"My mentality hasn't changed," Perez said, per MLB.com. "I always come to the field ready to play. I pretend like I'm going to play that day, so nothing changes."
The Indians appear to have full confidence in Perez, who was lauded for his defense in the minors.
"He's a backup here because we have Yan Gomes," said Sandy Alomar Jr., the Indians' first-base coach and a former major-league catcher. "Anywhere else, he could start.
"He's a good catcher, man. He's prepared. We're in good hands behind the dish until Gomer gets back. It's a big loss for us having Yan Gomes out, but I think Roberto is going to do a good job."
The Indians are also confident Perez can get the job done offensively. Perez hit .305 with eight home runs and 43 RBI in 53 games at Triple-A last season.
"He really kind of turned it around," manager Terry Francona said. "His batting average or whatever, that's not the end all, be all. But the fact that he's a threat when he's hitting is important, because he can drive the ball out of the ballpark. He has improved dramatically."