NEW YORK — Slumping left fielder Alex Gordon and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer reached the same conclusion Monday afternoon after conferring in a corner of the Royals’ clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.

Gordon needs to relax.

“He’s pressing,” Seitzer said. “He cares so much and is working so hard. He told me, `Every day, it’s the same. I get here early, do so much extra work and try to take it into the game.’”

Gordon admitted he’s “overloaded” in an effort to break free from a seven-for-50 slide over the 12 games prior to Monday’s series opener against the Yankees. His average dropped from .273 to .231 over that span.

“I’m trying to do too much and make it happen,” Gordon said, “instead of just relaxing and letting it happen.”

Score one for relaxation.

Gordon went two for four with a walk in Monday’s 6-0 victory.

“I stopped trying to do too much with my stance and swing,” he said. “I tried to just go out there and let it happen. Anytime, you’re not swinging it well, you always think you need to make an adjustment. Sometimes, you don’t.”

Getz re-injures rib

Second baseman Chris Getz will undergo tests today to determine the severity of re-injured left rib after aggravating the injury on a slide at second base in the fourth inning while unsuccessfully trying to stretch a single into a double.

“We think it’s the rib,” Getz said, “but there’s a lot of stuff in there. It’s more than just ribs. It was the first time I’ve had any sort of impact there since originally hurting it.”

That original injury occurred last Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium in a collision with Baltimore’s Chris Davis on a play at first base. Getz missed the next two games.

Looking for a long man

It’s “probable” – that’s manager Ned Yost’s word – the Royals will make a roster move before Tuesday night’s game to add a long reliever to their bullpen.

“I don’t have one tonight,” he said before Monday’s game. “It’s a combination of five guys who I don’t want wear out. It’s not (a good situation). We’re thinking through it. We’ve got to have one. We rolled the dice (Monday) and Sunday and the day before.”

The Royals continue to list Luis Mendoza as their probable starter for Wednesday’s series finale against the Yankees, and Yost said Nate Adcock will likely get at least one more start.

Right-hander Vin Mazzaro, optioned last Thursday to Class AAA Omaha, can only return if he replaces a player placed on the disabled list. Rules otherwise require optioned players to remain 10 days in the minors.

The Royals have no space on their 40-man roster but could easily create an opening by transferring lefty Danny Duffy to the 60-day disabled list. Duffy is out for the season after suffering a torn elbow ligament.

Players on the 60-day list don’t count against the 40-man limit.

Brett on the air

Royals legend George Brett greeted morning television viewers Monday as a guest on the Fox News show, “Fox & Friends.”

The Hall of Famer is here to attend the first two games of the Royals’ series against the New York, Yankees, which opened Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

New York shortstop Derek Jeter is attempting to surpass Brett for 15th place on baseball’s career hits list. Jeter entered Monday’s game at 3,147; Brett retired in 1993 with 3,154.

Brett made the morning TV appearance to promote his new role as ambassador for the 2012 All-Star Game, which is July 10 at Kauffman Stadium.

While on camera, Brett was asked – no surprise – to re-tell the famous pine-tar incident of July 24, 1983, which occurred at the old Yankee Stadium.

Umpire Tim McClelland, after a protest by Yankees manager Billy Martin, disallowed Brett’s three-run homer against Goose Gossage, which put the Royals ahead in the ninth inning.

McClelland called Brett out because pine tar on the bat extended beyond the allowable limit. That out ended the game, gave the Yankees a victory and prompted an enraged Brett to charge McClelland in protest.

American League president Lee McPhail subsequently reversed McClelland’s decision, reinstated the homer and forced the teams to resume play from that point at a later date. The Royals held on for a victory.

Minor awards

Two Royals’ Class A prospects – catcher Kevin David and shortstop Michael Antonio – were selected as the players-of-the-week in their leagues for the period of May 14-20.

David, 24, was eight for 14 with one homer and six RBIs in five games for Wilmington in the Carolina League. He is an Oklahoma State alum whom the Royals selected in the 19th round of the 2010 draft.

Antonio, 20, was 11 for 23 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in six games for Kane County in the Midwest League. He was the club’s third-round pick in 2010.

Military tributes

With Memorial Day weekend approaching, the Royals launched a military tribute page on their website: www.royals.com/military.. The page seeks to offer content dedicated to the “club’s military outreach efforts.”

Members of the military can find details on exclusive offers such as the Uniformed Heroes ticket discount program (courtesy of the National World War I Museum) and information on military group outings and color guard pre-game ceremonies. 

Looking back

It was eight years ago Tuesday – May 22, 2004 – that Zack Greinke made his major-league debut by allowing two earned runs in five innings at Oakland before getting a no-decision when the A’s rallied for a 5-4 victory in 11 innings.

Greinke, then just 20, was positioned for a victory before Jeremy Affeldt surrendered a two-out homer in the ninth to Eric Chavez after an error by shortstop Angel Berroa extended the inning.

Etc.

Felipe Paulino is just the second Royals pitcher to post two victories in the same season over the Yankees since 1995. Extra points if you recall Kyle Davies doing it in 2010.

The last time the Royals posted a shutout in the Bronx was Aug. 18, 1999 when Dan Reichert, Derek Wallace and Jeff Montgomery combined on a 3-0 victory.

The Royals’ five-game road winning streak is their longest since an eight-game run in September 2008.

The Royals have also won three straight games at Yankee Stadium. They haven’t done that in the South Bronx since a four-game run at the old Yankee Stadium spanning 1993-94.

Third baseman Mike Moustakas has hits in 11 of his last 12 games and has reached base at least once in 27 of 28 games since April 17.