Royals outfielder Alex Gordon will retire following the 2020 season. The official announcement was released by team officials on Thursday morning. Gordon, a seven-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner and Rawlings Platinum Glove winner (2014), ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in most all offensive categories, including walks (682, 3rd), home runs (190, 4th), doubles (357, 5th), extra-base hits (573, 5th), games played (1,749, 6th), at-bats (6,380, 6th), runs (867, 6th), hits (1,641, 6th) and RBI (749, 6th). His final game will be this coming Sunday, September 27th, when the Royals host Detroit.
Gordon, who started all 16 postseason games during Kansas City’s 2015 World Series run, has played his entire 14-year career with Kansas City from 2007-20, making him one of three position players to play 14 seasons (or more) with the Royals, joining George Brett (21 seasons) and Frank White (18). Gordon’s 1,749 games entering tonight are the fourth most of any active player who has played for only one team, trailing Yadier Molina (2,021), Joey Votto (1,768) and Ryan Braun (1,761).
Gordon was selected second overall in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Nebraska and made his Major League debut on Opening Day in 2007 as a third baseman, before moving to left field during the 2010 season. In his first full season in the outfield in 2011, he earned his first of seven Rawlings Gold Glove Awards while leading the Majors with 20 outfield assists, a mark that has not been topped by any player in nine seasons since.
Photo credit – Jeff Curry / USA Today Sports / Kansas City, MO
