KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Alex Gordon, who hit one of the biggest home runs in Royals history and won seven Gold Gloves in left field, announced his retirement on Thursday.
The Royals said Gordon will play out the final four games of the season, making Sunday his last game in the major leagues.
Gordon considered retirement last year, but returned to the club on a one-year contract this offseason.
This spring while the baseball season went on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Gordon said he hoped to continue playing for multiple seasons and be part of the team when they returned to the postseason.
Just before the trade deadline when the Royals traded closer Trevor Rosenthal to the San Diego Padres, Gordon had been one of the players making a push to let Rosenthal, a Lee's Summit native, know that the club wanted him to consider a return next season.
As recently as a few weeks ago, Royals outfielder/first baseman Hunter Dozier said Gordon urged teammates in a meeting to finish this season strong and build momentum going into the offseason and 2021.
However, Gordon also hinted in July that the pull to spend more time with his family may have gotten greater as he spent his extended period at home.
"I spent a lot of time with my family, my three kids, my wife, at home during the summer," Gordon said in July after spring training 2.0 started. "It was just good to spend time with them. Spend quality time, go to their baseball games and stuff like that. So it did kind of open my eyes to what it might be like when I'm done playing. You know what, I kind of enjoyed it. It definitely put some perspective into everything."
Last June, the Royals were in Minneapolis for a series against the Minnesota Twins. Former Twins star Joe Mauer had his jersey retired after having been a local legend in that area.
Gordon expressed his desire to finish his career in a similar fashion to Mauer, having spent his entire career for one team in the region close to where he grew up. He described spending an entire career with one franchise as a "privilege" that he doesn't take for granted.
"It's always special when you can play for just one team in your career and have the career he had," Gordon said.
Gordon, who was the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, played his entire 14-year career (2007-20) with the Royals. He is one of three Royals position players to play at least 14 seasons in Kansas City, joining George Brett (21 seasons) and Frank White (18). Both of those players have had their number retired by the team.
Gordon is the Royals' all-time leader in leadoff home runs (14) and hit-by-pitches (121). He is also in the top 10 for multiple franchise career statistics. That includes home runs (190, 4th), doubles (357, 5th), extra-base hits (573, 5th), hits (1,641, 6th) and RBIs (749, 6th).
After making his debut as a third baseman, Gordon was sent to Triple-A following a slow start and moved to left field. Gordon thrived in this new position, winning seven Gold Glove awards.
His seven Gold Glove honors rank second in franchise history behind Frank White's eight.
Gordon's biggest moment came in the 2015 World Series. With the Royals trailing 3-2 in Game 1, Gordon stepped to the plate with one out and crushed a home run to center field off Mets closer Jeurys Familia.
The Royals went on to win in 14 innings and took the championship in five games.
Former Royals manager Ned Yost joined the organization in 2010, when Gordon had gotten sent down to minors to become a left fielder.
Yost spoke with great pride to The Star about Gordon's legacy this summer while MLB was on hold.
"Small-market teams can't miss on their No. 1 picks. They can't," Yost said. "So we as a coaching staff had to do everything that we could to give Alex the opportunity to be successful. And Alex reciprocated ...
"Alex would work as hard or harder than anybody I've ever been around. I can't honestly say that I've ever seen a more consistent harder worker than Alex Gordon. There's just nobody in my whole career (that I've seen) that dedicated to not only diet, strength training and hard work in practice every single day to be the best that he can. Alex Gordon is it."
Cincinnati Reds infielder and former Royals star Mike Moustakas spoke to Kansas City reporters in August prior to a series against the Royals. Moustakas, one of the veteran players and a team leader for the Reds, said he has tried to emulate Gordon in the example he sets for his Reds' teammates.
"I learned a lot from Alex Gordon on how to be a professional," Moustakas said. "How to carry myself the right way, go about business the right way. He's been doing it for a very long time, and he's somebody I always looked up to when I did play with him and when I saw him when I was in the minor leagues. He's a guy I always looked up to because of his work ethic and his dedication to his craft.
"I always wanted to carry myself a little bit like him. I'm a little bit more outspoken than he is, obviously, but the way he goes about his business is top-notch. You couldn't ask for a better role model and player in the clubhouse to follow. I just try to be as much like Gordo as I can."
